Mary looks unfriendly, but she is really very kind at heart.
Source: tatoeba (31882)
Unfriendly
/ʌnˈfɹɛn(d)li/
Synonyms for "unfriendly" (210 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (42)
Adjective(9 words)
Strong matches (63)
Adjective(19 words)
criticaldisagreeabledisobligingdistant audiencedistant interactionfrigidfrostiergerman eisglacialharshheatlesshostile climatehostile retorthumorlessiciericiestill dispositioninhospitableinimical
Noun(3 words)
Related words (105)
jingoisticmartialmilitantmilitaristicmilitarymisanthropicmopeymopishmorosenegativenoncooperativenongregariousnot charmedobstinateoffensiveominousopponentopposedopposingopposite
Show 60 more words
oppositionaloppositiveoppugnantoverthwartpersonalperversepugnaciousput offquarrelsomerecalcitrantrefractoryrepugnantrivalsaber-rattlingsanguinarysanguineoussavagescrappyself-containedself-sufficientshabbysnugsocially incompatiblesoldierlikesoldierlyspitefulstandoffishstiffstrainedsullentensetrigger happytrigger-happytruculentunamiableunamicableunapproachableunclubbableuncommunicativeuncompanionableuncongenialuncooperativeuncordialunfavorableungenialungraciousunharmoniousunhospitableunneighborlyunpacificunpeaceableunpeacefulunpropitiousunreceptiveunsociableunsocialvirulentwarlikewarmongeringwarring
Noun(7 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Adjective(17 words)
moral alienationoffishskepticalsourishstandoffishsurliestsurlyuncongenialuncooperativeunkindunpleasant moodunsupportiveunsweetunsympatheticunwelcomingunwelcoming climateunwelcoming reception
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: hostile, adversary, adversative, adverse, aggressive.
- Sentence evidence is available for unfriendly, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unfriendly".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unfriendly"
Keep "unfriendly" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unfriendly" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unfriendly", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unfriendly" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesenvironmental qualityinterpersonal traitlinguistic featureorganizational climatepragmatic featuresocial quality
More specific
6 entriescold demeanorharsh wordinghostile attitudehostile climatehostile phrasingunwelcoming climate
Collocations
6 entriesunfriendly attitudeunfriendly climateunfriendly demeanorunfriendly environmentunfriendly stanceunfriendly tone
Inflections
2 entriesmore unfriendlymost unfriendly
Derivations
1 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
12 entriesSample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Can you figure out why the boss is so unfriendly this week?
Source: tatoeba (36372)
Old homes, especially traditional Japanese ones, can be damp and unfriendly to modern life.
Source: tatoeba (239843)
He looked unfriendly at first.
Source: tatoeba (244047)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unfriendly"?
Closest matches include hostile, adversary, adversative, adverse, aggressive.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unfriendly"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.