ENGLISH
REFERENCE

unfriendly

adj.
A2 Elementary US //ənˈfɹɛndɫi// UK //ʌnfɹˈɛndli// un·friend·ly

adj. not kind or pleasant to other people. You use this to describe someone who does not want to be helpful or social.

adj. lacking kindness, warmth, or sociability; showing a lack of hospitality or goodwill. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'seem' or 'appear'.


SIMPLE

The shop assistant was quite unfriendly to us.

CONTEXTUAL

The new neighbors seemed a bit unfriendly at first because they never waved or said hello.

COMPLEX

Despite the host's polite words, his stiff body language and lack of eye contact created an unfriendly atmosphere that made the guests feel unwelcome.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English unfrendly, unfrendli, unfrendely, from Old English *unfrēondlīċ (suggested by derivative unfrēondlīċe (“in an unfriendly manner; unfriendly”, adverb)), equivalent to un- + friendly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian uunfrüntelk, uunfjuntelk (“unfriendly”), West Frisian ûnfreonlik (“unfriendly”), Dutch onvriendelijk (“unfriendly”), German Low German unfrünnelk (“unfriendly”), German unfreundlich (“unfriendly”), Faroese ófryntligur (“unfriendly”), Icelandic ófrýnilegur (“ugly; disturbing”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English unfrendli, from Old English unfrēondlīċe (“in an unfriendly manner”), equivalent to unfriend + -ly.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'to' when directed at a person.

Pitfall

He spoke to me in an unfriendly way.He was unfriendly to me.While 'unfriendly' looks like an adverb because of the -ly ending, it is an adjective; to use it as an adverb, you must use the phrase 'in an unfriendly way'.

© 2026 English Reference