Meaning & use

animosity

noun·Advanced

Strong hostility or dislike, often built up over a long time between people or groups.

See it in a sentence

Years of animosity between the two neighboring countries finally began to ease.

There was clear animosity between the two coworkers after the disputed promotion.

A note on using this word

Animosity typically implies a deep, lingering hostility rather than a brief flash of anger, and is often used with toward or between.

Words with a similar meaning

hostilityresentmentenmity

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

friendlinessgoodwill

Make it your own

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