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xenophobia

3 antonyms and opposites of xenophobia, grouped by meaning.

Noun — Intense dislike, fear or hostility towards people from other countries, or towards anything perceived as foreign.

Antonyms

xenophilia tolerance cosmopolitanism

How to Use Xenophobia

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

rising xenophobia casual xenophobia xenophobia and racism fuel xenophobia

Neutral in register but strongly negative in force; calling someone xenophobic is an accusation, not a description.

Etymology

From Greek xenos "stranger, foreigner" and phobos "fear", formed on the model of other -phobia words.

Full origin of xenophobia →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between xenophobia and racism?

Racism is prejudice based on race or ethnicity, including against people born in the same country. Xenophobia targets foreignness itself — nationality, immigration status, accent or origin — so someone can be xenophobic towards people of their own race who come from elsewhere. In practice the two often overlap.

Is xenophobia an actual phobia?

Not in the clinical sense. Despite the -phobia ending it is not recognised as an anxiety disorder; it describes a social and political hostility rather than a diagnosable fear.

What is a person who is xenophobic called?

A xenophobe. The adjective is xenophobic, and the opposite disposition — a fondness for foreign people and cultures — is xenophilia.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.