inhospitable

adjective

in·​hos·​pi·​ta·​ble ˌin-(ˌ)hä-ˈspi-tə-bəl  (ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi- 

1

: not showing hospitality : not friendly or receptive

2

: providing no shelter or sustenance

an inhospitable environment

inhospitableness noun

inhospitably

ˌin-(ˌ)hä-ˈspi-tə-blē 

(ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-

adverb

Synonyms

• adversarial
• adversary
• antagonistic
• antipathetic
• hostile
• inimical
• jaundiced
• mortal
• negative
• unfriendly
• unsympathetic

Examples of inhospitable in a Sentence

It's very inhospitable of him to be so rude to strangers.

the proposal received an unexpectedly inhospitable response from the city council

Recent Examples on the Web

As seasonal droughts render their habitats inhospitable, the lungfish burrows into the mud or sediment at the bottom of its drying pond or river. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024

But the West isn’t a completely inhospitable place for retirees—Pearl City, Hawaii, and Scottsdale, Arizona have the highest share of population aged 65 and older. —Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 6 Sep. 2024

If humanity fails to rein in climate change by either swiftly transitioning away from the dirty energy sources emitting greenhouses gasses or figuring out a way to neutralize them, then many parts of the world could become inhospitable by the end of this century. —Yessenia Funes, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024

In women, common infertility issues are associated with ovulation disorders, fallopian tube damage or inhospitable conditions of the uterus, according to Mayo Clinic. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

inhospitable

adjective

in·​hos·​pi·​ta·​ble ˌin-(ˌ)häs-ˈpit-ə-bəl  (ˈ)in-ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit- 

1

: not friendly or generous : not showing hospitality

2

: providing no shelter or food : barren

an inhospitable desert

inhospitably

-blē 

adverb

inhospitality

(ˌ)in-ˌhäs-pə-ˈtal-ət-ē

noun