Definition of ENMITY (original) (raw)
: positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will
Did you know?
Enmity and its synonyms "hostility," animosity, and animus all indicate deep-seated dislike or ill will. Enmity (which derives from an Anglo-French word meaning "enemy") suggests true hatred, either overt or concealed. Hostility implies strong, open enmity that shows itself in attacks or aggression. Animosity carries the sense of anger, vindictiveness, and sometimes the desire to destroy what one hates. Animus is generally less violent than animosity, but definitely conveys active prejudice or ill will.
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for 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
Examples of enmity in a Sentence
Bin Laden may no longer be supplying directions and funding, but his ethos of enmity lives on. —
Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 10 June 2002 What has earned her the enmity of so many peers is her indiscriminate outspokenness. —Karen Springer, Newsweek, 10 June 1996 Battles over slavery in the territories broke the second party system apart and then shaped a realigned system that emphasized sectional enmity. —Mary Beth Norton et al., A People and a Nation, 1988
There's a long history of enmity between them. His comments earned him the enmity of his coworkers. We need to put aside old enmities for the sake of peace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trump is a better investment than your average president: Both the blessings of his favor and the consequences of his enmity are more extreme. —Ezra Klein, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025 The one area in which Trump shows unwavering determination is his enmity toward technical expertise. —Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024 The closest parallel was nearly 50 years ago, when then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat jettisoned decades of enmity and abruptly announced his readiness to travel to Israel, kickstarting diplomacy that led to a peace treaty. —Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2024 That space the evil one abstracted stood From his own evil, and for the time remained Stupidly good, of enmity disarmed. —Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enmity 
Word History
Etymology
Middle English enmite, from Anglo-French enemité, enemisté, from enemi enemy
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of enmity was in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near enmity
Cite this Entry
“Enmity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enmity. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on enmity
Last Updated: 5 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!