Unfriendliness: meaning, definitions and examples

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unfriendliness

 

[ ʌnˈfrɛndlɪnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in social situations

The quality or state of being unfriendly; lack of friendliness or warmth in behavior.

Synonyms

aloofness, antagonism, coldness, hostility.

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Word Description / Examples
unfriendliness

General behavior showing lack of warmth or kindness. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

  • His unfriendliness made it difficult to approach him.
  • There was an air of unfriendliness in the room.
hostility

Openly antagonistic or aggressive behavior. Stronger than unfriendliness and usually implies intent to harm or oppose.

  • The hostility between the two groups led to several violent confrontations.
  • He couldn't hide his hostility during the meeting, which made everyone uncomfortable.
coldness

Lack of warmth or affection, often suggesting emotional insensitivity. Can describe both behavior and atmosphere.

  • Her coldness toward her colleagues made the office environment quite harsh.
  • The conversation was filled with coldness and indifference.
aloofness

A state of being emotionally distant or detached. Often implies a degree of arrogance or superiority.

  • Her aloofness made it hard for people to get close to her.
  • He maintained an aloofness that kept others at a distance.
antagonism

Active hostility or opposition toward someone or something. Suggests conflict and can be used in both personal and broader contexts.

  • There was a clear antagonism between the two rivals.
  • The proposal faced strong antagonism from the community.

Examples of usage

  • Her unfriendliness made it difficult to approach her.
  • I was taken aback by the unfriendliness of the staff.

Translations

Translations of the word "unfriendliness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 inimizade

🇮🇳 अमित्रता

🇩🇪 Unfreundlichkeit

🇮🇩 ketidakramahan

🇺🇦 недружелюбність

🇵🇱 nieżyczliwość

🇯🇵 不親切

🇫🇷 inimitié

🇪🇸 antipatía

🇹🇷 dost olmayanlık

🇰🇷 비우호

🇸🇦 عداوة

🇨🇿 nepřátelství

🇸🇰 nepriateľstvo

🇨🇳 不友好

🇸🇮 neprijaznost

🇮🇸 óvild

🇰🇿 достықсыздық

🇬🇪 მტრულობა

🇦🇿 dostluq yoxluğu

🇲🇽 antipatía

Etymology

The word 'unfriendliness' originated from the combination of the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') and the word 'friendliness', which dates back to the 16th century. 'Friendliness' itself is derived from the Old English word 'freondlic', meaning 'amicable'. Over time, 'unfriendliness' has come to be used to describe the opposite of warmth and friendliness in social interactions.

See also: befriend, befriending, friend, friending, friendlily, friendliness, friendly, friends, friendship, unfriendly.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,567, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.