Antipathy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /an-ˈti-pə-thē/ an·tip·a·thy

Meaning & Definition of Antipathy

Antipathy (noun)

  1. a strong feeling of dislike
  2. something disliked, an object of aversion
  3. opposition in feeling

Antipathy (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a deep-seated ill will

    "I feel no antipathy towards any of my opponents in the tournament"

    similar: animosity, animus, antagonism, bad blood, bitterness, enmity, gall, grudge, hostility, jaundice, rancor
    related: blood feud, feud, score, vendetta, hate, hatred, loathing, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol, alienation, disaffection, estrangement, conflict, coolness, discord, friction, strain, tension, inhospitableness, unfriendliness, malice, malignancy, malignity, spite, spitefulness, venom
    opposite: amity
    near: amiability, amicability, civility, cordiality, friendliness, hospitality, neighborliness, comity, empathy, friendship, goodwill, sympathy, understanding

  2. something or someone that is hated

    "cruelty to animals is one of my most deeply felt antipathies"

    similar: abhorrence, abomination, anathema, aversion, bête noire, detestation, execration, hate
    related: dread, hang-up, horror, phobia, bogey, bugaboo, bugbear, adversary, enemy, annoyance, grievance, hassle, nuisance, peeve
    opposite: love
    near: beloved, darling, dear, honey, sweetheart, delight, enjoyment, felicity, joy, pleasure, favorite, like, preference, treasure

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Antipathy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Antipathy:

animosity, animus, antagonism, bad blood, bitterness, enmity, gall, grudge, hostility, jaundice, rancor, abhorrence, abomination, anathema, aversion, bête noire, detestation, execration, hate

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Antipathy

Words with the opposite meaning of Antipathy:

amity, love

Related Words for Antipathy

blood feud, feud, score, vendetta, hatred, loathing, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol, alienation, disaffection, estrangement, conflict, coolness, discord, friction, strain, tension, inhospitableness, unfriendliness, malice, malignancy, malignity, spite, spitefulness, venom, dread, hang-up, horror, phobia

Near Antonyms of Antipathy

amiability, amicability, civility, cordiality, friendliness, hospitality, neighborliness, comity, empathy, friendship, goodwill, sympathy, understanding, beloved, darling, dear, honey, sweetheart, delight, enjoyment, felicity, joy, pleasure, favorite, like, preference, treasure

Word Forms of Antipathy

Inflections: antipathies

Origin & Etymology of Antipathy

Latin antipathia, from Greek antipatheia, from antipathēs of opposite feelings, from anti- + pathos experience pathos

First known use: 1592

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Antipathy

Frequently Asked Questions about Antipathy

What does "Antipathy" mean?

"Antipathy" means a strong feeling of dislike. As a noun, it is defined as: a strong feeling of dislike. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Antipathy"?

Other words for "Antipathy" include animosity, animus, antagonism, bad blood, bitterness, enmity, gall and grudge. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Antipathy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Antipathy"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Antipathy". Common alternatives include animosity, animus, antagonism, bad blood, bitterness, enmity, gall, grudge, hostility and jaundice.

What is the opposite of "Antipathy"?

Antonyms of "Antipathy" include amity and love. Near antonyms include amiability, amicability, civility and cordiality.

How do you use "Antipathy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Antipathy" in a sentence: "I feel no antipathy towards any of my opponents in the tournament"; "cruelty to animals is one of my most deeply felt antipathies".

Is "Antipathy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Antipathy" is a noun.

Is "Antipathy" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Antipathy" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Antipathy"?

"Antipathy" is pronounced /an-ˈti-pə-thē/ and divided into syllables as an·tip·a·thy.