antipathy

noun

an·tip·a·thy an-ˈti-pə-thē

plural antipathies

Synonyms of antipathy next

: a strong feeling of dislike

an antipathy to taxes

a deep antipathy between the groups

: something disliked : an object of aversion

… perhaps his greatest antipathies were cabs, old women, doors that would not shut …—

Charles Dickens

obsolete : opposition in feeling

Choose the Right Synonym for antipathy

enmity, hostility, antipathy, antagonism, animosity, rancor, animus mean deep-seated dislike or ill will.

enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

antipathy and antagonism imply a natural or logical basis for one's hatred or dislike, antipathy suggesting repugnance, a desire to avoid or reject, and antagonism suggesting a clash of temperaments leading readily to hostility.

a natural antipathy for self-seekers

antagonism between the brothers

animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web And Republicans have a particular antipathy to policies mitigating or addressing climate change. —

Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 15 Aug. 2022 While Turkey is a member of NATO, Mr. Erdogan has good relations with Mr. Putin, despite the Russian leader’s antipathy toward the Western military alliance of 30 nations. —

New York Times, 19 Mar. 2022 The arc of the man who would be House speaker runs through a disturbing era when political antipathy crystallized in culture wars over allegiances and identities. —

Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2022 Trying to get at the reasons so many people have stopped going to college, some states have conducted focus groups and surveys, revealing that the complexity of getting a higher education is to blame for some of the antipathy toward following through with it. —

Jon Marcus, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2022 The recent heightened antipathy toward Jews hasn’t been focused on the general Jewish population. —

Mark Oppenheimer, WSJ, 19 Jan. 2022 On Thursday, the congressman once again reiterated his antipathy for the policy. —

Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner, 11 May 2023 From its utopian beginnings, Twitter has now become a troubled company whose new owner, Elon Musk, has even expressed his antipathy for the hashtag itself. —

Cassie Werber, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2023 The showdown triggers a mutual quest for revenge that spirals out of control and ultimately reveals how much Amy and Danny actually have in common despite their ferocious antipathy for each other. —

Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antipathy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.