hostile
HOS-tyl
Hostile (adjective) means Unfriendly or aggressive, like an enemy. Example: “The stray dog grew hostile when strangers came near its food bowl.”
adjective
1
Unfriendly or aggressive, like an enemy.
"The stray dog grew hostile when strangers came near its food bowl."
"The crowd grew hostile as the referee made another bad call."
"He gave a hostile response to every question at the press conference."
2
Relating to a takeover of a company that the target company's management opposes.
"Shareholders were warned that the hostile bid could change the firm completely."
"The board hired advisers to resist the hostile offer from a rival company."
"The firm fought off a hostile takeover bid last year."
How to use hostile
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnfriendly, aggressive, or opposed — like the attitude of an enemy.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
hostile environment
hostile takeover
hostile crowd
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Word forms
- Plural
- hostiles
- Comparative
- more hostile
- Superlative
- most hostile
Fill the gap
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The stray dog grew _____ when strangers came near its food bowl.
Etymology
From Latin hostilis, "of an enemy," from hostis, "enemy" or "stranger."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for hostile
See all rhymes for hostile →Frequently asked questions
What does “hostile” mean?
The word “hostile” means unfriendly or aggressive, like an enemy. In plain terms, unfriendly, aggressive, or opposed — like the attitude of an enemy.
How do you pronounce “hostile”?
“Hostile” is pronounced HOS-tyl (/ˈhɑstəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “hostile” in a sentence?
Here is “hostile” used in a sentence: “The crowd grew hostile as the referee made another bad call.”
What is another word for “hostile”?
Words with a similar meaning to “hostile” include antagonistic, hateful, adverse, conflicting, contentious and counteracting.
What is the opposite of “hostile”?
The opposite of “hostile” — its antonyms — are friendly, cooperative and helpful.
What part of speech is “hostile”?
“Hostile” is an adjective.
Where does the word “hostile” come from?
The word “hostile” comes from Latin. From Latin hostilis, "of an enemy," from hostis, "enemy" or "stranger.".
Is “hostile” a common word?
“Hostile” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
What is the difference between hostile and aggressive?
Hostile describes an unfriendly, enemy-like attitude, while aggressive describes forceful behavior or readiness to attack. Someone can be hostile without doing anything openly aggressive — a cold silence can be hostile — whereas aggression is active and often physical or verbal.
Is it "hostile to" or "hostile toward"?
Both are correct: "hostile to the idea" and "hostile toward strangers" are each standard English. "Hostile to" is generally the more common pairing, particularly in British English, while American English uses both freely.
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