unfriendly

adjective

un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren(d)-lē How to pronounce unfriendly (audio)
: not friendly: such as
a
: hostile, unsympathetic
an unfriendly nation

Examples of unfriendly in a Sentence

They were very unfriendly to us. the unfriendly looks quickly warmed when we were recognized as long-unseen relatives
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Greg-Gary What a relief to find that our unfriendly neighborhood wife killer could be reasonable here. Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025 Bottom line Let’s eyeball all 10 years, noting numerous complaints about California’s unfriendly business climate. Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025 On his first trip to the Holy See, Francis’ unsmiling welcome was seen as frigid and unfriendly; both encounters were markedly brief. Federico Perelmuter, The Dial, 13 Mar. 2025 Most Americans do continue to see Russia as unfriendly or an enemy. Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unfriendly

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfriendly was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unfriendly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfriendly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

unfriendly

adjective
un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren-(d)lē How to pronounce unfriendly (audio)
1
: not friendly or kind : hostile
an unfriendly greeting
2
: not agreeable
an unfriendly environment
unfriendliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unfriendly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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