hostile
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.showing that you do not like someone or that you want to fight with them.
adj.manifesting or characterised by enmity, ill will, or a desire to oppose and injure.
Simple“The crowd became hostile when the speaker refused to answer their questions.”
In context“The witness faced a hostile cross-examination, with the lawyer repeatedly questioning her integrity and memory of the events.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a place where it is very hard for plants, animals, or people to live.
adj.relating to an environment or conditions that are extremely difficult to survive in or inhabit.
Simple“The desert is a hostile environment for most types of plants.”
In context“Exploration of the deep ocean floor is hampered by the hostile conditions, including extreme pressure and near-freezing temperatures.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a situation where one company tries to buy another company even though the owners do not want to sell.
adj.denoting a corporate acquisition attempted against the wishes of the target company's board of directors.
Simple“The small tech firm fought off a hostile takeover bid from a much larger rival.”
In context“The board of directors implemented a 'poison pill' strategy to deter the hostile takeover attempt by the private equity group.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a person who is an enemy, especially in a war.
n.an individual who belongs to an opposing military force or shows active aggression.
Simple“The soldiers were warned that there were hostiles hiding in the nearby woods.”
In context“The reconnaissance drone identified several armed hostiles moving toward the perimeter of the base under the cover of darkness.”
UsageUsually used in the plural form 'hostiles' in military contexts.
“This is a gritty and detailed portrait of an often misunderstood and endangered species in an increasingly hostile, crowded and hot environment.”
“Britain and parts of northern Europe were pushed back towards colder, more hostile conditions for more than a thousand years.”
Borrowed from Middle French hostile, from Latin hostīlis, from hostis (“enemy”). Displaced Old English fēondlīċ.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.