ANIMUS Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'animus' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of animus are animosity , antagonism , antipathy , enmity , hostility , and rancor . While all these words mean "deep-seated dislike or ill will," animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice. // objections devoid of personal animus

Q: When is 'animosity' a more appropriate choice than 'animus'?

The synonyms animosity and animus are sometimes interchangeable, but animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility. // animosity that led to revenge

Q: How do 'antipathy' and 'antagonism' relate to one another, in the sense of 'animus'?

Both 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

Q: When would 'enmity' be a good substitute for 'animus'?

The words enmity and animus can be used in similar contexts, but enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed. // an unspoken enmity

Q: When might 'hostility' be a better fit than 'animus'?

While in some cases nearly identical to animus , hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression. // hostility between the two nations

Q: When is it sensible to use 'rancor' instead of 'animus'?

While the synonyms rancor and animus are close in meaning, rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong. // rancor filled every line of his letters

animus

noun

ˈa-nə-məs

Definition of animus

as in hostility

a deep-seated ill will feeling no animus toward those who had wronged her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun animus differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of animus are animosity, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, hostility, and rancor. While all these words mean "deep-seated dislike or ill will," animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

When is animosity a more appropriate choice than animus?

The synonyms animosity and animus are sometimes interchangeable, but animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

How do antipathy and antagonism relate to one another, in the sense of animus?

Both 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

When would enmity be a good substitute for animus?

The words enmity and animus can be used in similar contexts, but enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

When might hostility be a better fit than animus?

While in some cases nearly identical to animus, hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

When is it sensible to use rancor instead of animus?

While the synonyms rancor and animus are close in meaning, rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of animus Kosowski expressed animus for Cozzi as the civil proceedings stretched over years and plotted his murder for months before Cozzi disappeared in March 2023, prosecutors say. — Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 Several courts have found that the ban was likely rooted in animus and violates servicemembers constitutional rights to due process and equal protection – a conclusion the government strongly disputes. — Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 Whether Tlaib is motivated by animus toward Moskowitz and Wasserman Schultz for their censure votes and condemnations of her rhetoric, or by support for their progressive opponents Larkin and Manley — or a combination — is unknown. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 At least these two countries don’t share the depth of Iran’s animus against Israel. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for animus

Recent Examples of Synonyms for animus

Noun

When a quarrel over an inheritance revives old hostilities, their relationship comes under pressure from greed and treachery in a conflict not of their making.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Grynkewich's remarks had followed a tense weekend between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow launching fresh strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of hostility

Noun

Greaves kept his cameras rolling, catching legends affectionately reminiscing, airing grudges, grousing about the next generation and, occasionally, demanding credit where credit is due.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
Cohan joins the eight-episode series as Catherine ‘Cat’ Keegan, a former homecoming queen whose small-town charm has sharpened into something fiercer thanks to decades of old grudges and regrets.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of grudge

Noun

The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Underneath that façade was a sociopathic white supremacist neo-Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day.

— Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hatred

Browse Nearby Words

animosity

animus

aniseikonia

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Animus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animus. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of animus

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Love It or Hate It

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on animus

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of animus

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to animus

Love It or Hate It

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on animus

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes