xenophobic
Americanadjective
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relating to or exhibiting fear or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers.
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relating to or exhibiting fear or dislike of the customs, dress, etc., of people who are culturally different.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of xenophobic
First recorded in 1910–15; xenophob(ia) + -ic
Explanation
Someone who is xenophobic is abnormally hostile toward foreigners. If you don't want any foreign people in your town, then you're xenophobic. Xenophobic comes from the Greek and literally means "fear of strangers," although when we talk about someone who is xenophobic, we're talking about someone who has converted fear into hatred or contempt. Sometimes people who discriminate against foreigners or feel very strongly that no one should be allowed to immigrate to their country are also called xenophobic.
Vocabulary lists containing xenophobic
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Never Fear: Phobia, Phobic
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it. Not to those who shame it with xenophobic statements."
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
Her legal team described the businessman as a Russian-born exile and outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that Pitt’s claims amounted to an inaccurate and xenophobic attempt to discredit him.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
The Continent “produced the genius of Mozart and Beethoven,” and it isn’t narrow or xenophobic to feel pride in this; it is a just self-respect without which you won’t be able to continue in history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
Writing to party leader Nigel Farage, she said: "These kinds of racist, antisemitic, xenophobic beliefs have no place in our politics."
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
Albania: In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy.
From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
