Unfriendly — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Unfriendly (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling

   "the unfriendly looks quickly warmed when we were recognized as long-unseen relatives"

   similar: antiseptic, arctic, brittle, chill, chilly, clammy, cold, cold-blooded, cold-eyed, coldish, cool, frigid, frosty, frozen, gelid, glacial, hard-eyed, icy, uncordial, unsympathetic, wintry
   related: bloodless, coldhearted, hard-hearted, heartless, kindless, pitiless, uncaring, unfeeling, reserved, soulless, undemonstrative, unemotional, unresponsive, apathetic, indifferent, unenthusiastic, uninterested, aloof, detached, dispassionate, impersonal, offish, standoffish, antisocial, unsociable, unsocial
   opposite: cordial, friendly, genial, happy, hearty, sympathetic, warm, warm-blooded, warmhearted
   near: compassionate, kind, kindhearted, demonstrative, emotional, expressive, eager, enthusiastic, passionate

2. marked by opposition or ill will

   "an unfriendly nation"

   similar: adversarial, adversary, antagonistic, antipathetic, hostile, inhospitable, inimical, jaundiced, mortal, negative, unsympathetic
   related: adverse, argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, clashing, combative, conflicting, contentious, contrary, disputatious, militant, opposed, pugnacious, quarrelsome, resisting, scrappy, truculent, antisocial, cold, cool, disagreeable, disapproving, distant, frigid, icy, biased, prejudiced, discourteous, ill-bred, ill-mannered, impertinent, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, surly, uncivil, unfavorable, unkind, unmannerly, unpleasant, unsociable, acrimonious, bitter, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, opprobrious, rancorous, spiteful, unloving, vindictive, virulent
   opposite: friendly, hospitable, nonantagonistic, nonhostile, sympathetic
   near: affable, amiable, amicable, civil, companionable, comradely, convivial, cordial, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, gregarious, neighborly, pleasant, sociable, social, warm, affectionate, devoted, kind, kindly, loving, nice, sweet, accepting, agreeable, approving, benign, empathetic, favorable, understanding, warmhearted, welcoming

3. opposed to one's interests

   "the claim that the state's numerous regulations create a climate unfriendly to small businesses"

   similar: adverse, counter, disadvantageous, hostile, inimical, negative, prejudicial, unfavorable, unsympathetic, untoward
   related: bad, baleful, baneful, evil, damaging, deleterious, destructive, detrimental, fatal, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, lethal, malignant, murderous, noxious, pernicious, poisonous, ruinous, threatening, troublesome, unhealthy, wounding, dangerous, hazardous, imperiling, jeopardizing, parlous, perilous, risky, unsafe, calumnious, defamatory, detractive, offensive, scathing, slanderous, antagonistic, antipathetic, inhospitable, intolerant, uncongenial, uncooperative, competing, conflicting, counteracting, countering, opposing, resistant, resisting
   opposite: advantageous, favorable, friendly, positive, supportive, sympathetic, well-disposed
   near: beneficial, good, helpful, propitious, useful, harmless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, nondestructive, nonfatal, nonlethal, nonthreatening, unresistant, tolerant, understanding, affable, agreeable, amiable, amicable, benign, benignant, complying, congenial, cordial, friendly, hospitable