antipathy

/ænˈtɪpəθi/ Formal

Say it: an-TIP-uh-thee

noun A deep-seated feeling of intense dislike, aversion, or opposition.
She felt an immediate antipathy towards the condescending guest.

📖 Seen in the wild

Her antipathy towards public speaking made her dread presentations.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ antipathy in a sentence

The two political rivals shared a mutual antipathy that was obvious to everyone in the room.
I have a profound antipathy to all forms of cruelty.
Despite his antipathy for the city, he had to move there for his new job.
There is a natural antipathy between cats and dogs, though many learn to coexist.
Her antipathy towards modern art meant she found the museum tour utterly baffling.
He could not overcome the antipathy he had felt for his stepfather since childhood.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

aversion hostility animosity enmity repugnance loathing abhorrence dislike

aversion · suggests a strong impulse to turn away from something.

hostility · implies active unfriendliness or aggressive opposition, not just a feeling.

animosity · suggests deep-seated, active ill will that often leads to conflict.

enmity · describes a state of mutual hatred or opposition, often between groups.

Opposites: affinity, sympathy, fondness, amity, rapport

🌱 Where it comes from

Antipathy comes directly from Greek 'antipatheia', which breaks down into 'anti' (against) and 'pathos' (feeling or suffering). The word literally means 'feeling against' something, a sense it has retained perfectly since it entered English in the early 17th century.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

a mutual antipathya deep-seated antipathyfeel an antipathy towardsan instinctive antipathyovercome an antipathy

Antipathy is a strong, formal word that sits between dislike and hatred. It describes a deep, often unexplainable feeling of opposition rather than an active conflict. Be careful not to confuse it with 'apathy', which means a lack of feeling. The most common prepositions to follow it are 'to', 'towards', and 'for'.

Word family: antipathetic, antipathetically

💬 Quick answers

What does antipathy mean?

Antipathy is a strong, deep-seated feeling of dislike or aversion. It's more intense than simple dislike and suggests a fundamental opposition to someone or something.

What's the difference between antipathy and hostility?

Antipathy is a feeling of deep dislike, whereas hostility is the behavior that often results from that feeling. You can feel antipathy without being openly hostile.

Is antipathy a formal word?

Yes, antipathy is considered a formal word. In casual conversation, people are more likely to use words like 'dislike' or 'hate'.

Can you have an antipathy for an idea or object?

Yes. While often used for people, you can feel antipathy towards anything, such as a political ideology, a type of food, or a particular activity.

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