adjective

inimical

ih-NIM-ih-kuhl

Inimical (adjective) means tending to harm something or make it impossible; working against it. Example: “Long hours are inimical to good judgement.”

adjective

Tending to harm something or make it impossible; working against it.

"Long hours are inimical to good judgement."

"Such secrecy is inimical to public trust."

Unfriendly or hostile in attitude.

"He faced an inimical crowd from the first minute."

"Relations between the two ministries were openly inimical."

How to use inimical

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWorking against something, or plainly unfriendly.

When to use it

Formal and rather bookish; common in legal, political and academic prose.

Memory tip

Note the shared root with amicable: in- plus friend gives you not-friendly.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

inimitable amicable → antithetical →

Common pairings

inimical to democracy inimical to growth inimical forces

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Long hours are _____ to good judgement.

Etymology

From Late Latin inimicalis, from Latin inimicus 'enemy', formed from in- 'not' and amicus 'friend'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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harmful damaging detrimental injurious opposed hostile unfriendly antagonistic adversarial

Antonyms

beneficial favourable conducive friendly cordial amicable

Related words

bad nice wrong anti dangerous evil useful friendly

Rhymes for inimical

musical comical radical medical logical lyrical typical cynical optical magical ethical biblical

See all rhymes for inimical →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between inimical and inimitable?

They are unrelated despite looking alike. Inimical means harmful or hostile; inimitable means so good or distinctive that nobody can copy it. Inimitable is a compliment, inimical never is.

How do you use inimical in a sentence?

The harm sense almost always takes 'to': something is inimical to something else. The hostility sense can stand alone before a noun, as in 'an inimical stare'.

What is the meaning of inimical?

"inimical" (adjective) means tending to harm something or make it impossible; working against it.

What is another word for inimical?

Other words for "inimical" include harmful, damaging, detrimental, injurious, opposed, hostile.

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bad nice wrong anti dangerous evil useful friendly