unfriendly

unfriendly — adjective

1. showing a cold or angry attitude toward others, without warmth or kindness

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

showing a cold or angry attitude toward others, without warmth or kindness

Example

The woman at the counter gave Kabir an unfriendly stare when he asked for help.

collocation: unfriendly stare

Élise found her new classmates unfriendly and ate lunch alone all week.

pattern: find + object + unfriendly

Common collocations
  • unfriendly to/toward someone
  • unfriendly look / stare / glance
  • unfriendly tone / manner / attitude
  • unfriendly greeting / welcome
Synonyms
  • hostile

    stronger than unfriendly; suggests active opposition or aggression

  • cold

    focuses on emotional distance and lack of warmth rather than active anger

  • unsympathetic

    emphasizes a lack of concern for other people's feelings or problems

Antonyms
  • friendly

    the direct opposite; warm and pleasant toward others

  • kind

    focuses on caring and helpful behavior

  • warm

    suggests genuine affection and openness

Usage Note

Commonly followed by 'to' or 'toward' to indicate the target of the behavior (e.g. 'unfriendly to visitors', 'unfriendly toward strangers').

Common Mistakes

My boss was unfriendly with me this morning.
My boss was unfriendly to me this morning.
Use 'to' or 'toward', not 'with', to indicate the person affected.

2. said about a place, climate, or natural setting that is harsh and makes it diffi

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

said about a place, climate, or natural setting that is harsh and makes it difficult for living things to survive or grow

Example

Nothing grows on the mountain's unfriendly slopes except a few hardy plants.

collocation: unfriendly slopes / terrain / soil

Rafael described the Arctic coast as an unfriendly place for any living creature.

unfriendly place for + [living thing]

Common collocations
  • unfriendly climate / weather
  • unfriendly terrain / landscape / soil
  • unfriendly environment / conditions
  • unfriendly to life / growth / wildlife
Synonyms
  • inhospitable

    the closest synonym; directly interchangeable in this sense

  • harsh

    broader in meaning but commonly used for severe climates and terrain

  • unfavorable

    less strong; suggests conditions that are not helpful rather than actively dangerous

Antonyms
  • hospitable

    the direct opposite; describes a place that welcomes and supports life

  • welcoming

    more personal in tone, but used for environments that feel pleasant and safe

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used for physical environments (climate, terrain, region) and rarely for people. It is the opposite of 'hospitable' in the environmental sense.

Common Mistakes

The hotel staff were unfriendly.' (using sense-2 meaning for people)
The hotel staff were unfriendly to us.' (use sense 1 'hostile' meaning for people)
Sense 2 describes places and environments, not people.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a lack of warmth toward others, but they differ in intensity and tone. 'Unfriendly' is the most general term; it simply means not pleasant or kind — a shop assistant who does not greet you is unfriendly. 'Hostile' is much stronger; it implies active anger or opposition, such as a political crowd shouting at a speaker. 'Cold' focuses on emotional distance rather than aggression — a parent who never praises their child is cold, not necessarily hostile. 'Unsympathetic' emphasizes a failure to care about someone's problems — a manager who ignores a worker's health concerns is unsympathetic. Use 'unfriendly' for everyday situations, 'hostile' for open conflict, 'cold' for emotional detachment, and 'unsympathetic' for lack of compassion.

unfriendly ↗hostile ↗cold ↗unsympathetic

Common collocations

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Unfriendly comes from Old English 'unfreondlic', made up of the prefix 'un-' ('not') and 'freondlic' ('friendly'). The word 'friendly' itself comes from 'freond' (friend), a Germanic root related to the idea of 'loving' or 'caring for someone'. The modern form has been in use since at least the 14th century.