inhospitable

adjective

in·​hos·​pi·​ta·​ble ˌin-(ˌ)hä-ˈspi-tə-bəl How to pronounce inhospitable (audio) (ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi- How to pronounce inhospitable (audio)
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 How to pronounce inhospitable (audio)
(ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-
adverb

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 Today’s travelers to Egypt will find the ancient pyramids surrounded by barren, inhospitable desert landscapes. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2024 Although the roughly 40 mile stretch of Western Desert Plateau foothills is largely inhospitable terrain today, river sediment located deep underground indicates that wasn’t always the case. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 May 2024 Afterward, their sisters lived with their mom while Bruno and his brother moved around with their dad, living in unusual and at times, inhospitable places, including on rooftops and in their car. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 12 May 2024 That story revolves around an ancient civilization that settled in the inhospitable terrain of northwest New Mexico between 850 and 1250 and built Chaco Canyon, a breathtaking hub of culture and trade home to about 10,000 Puebloan people. Lois Alter Mark, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2024 As the Arctic warms up to four times as fast as the rest of the planet, white spruce trees are now spreading into tundra that was once inhospitable. Matt Simon, WIRED, 4 Mar. 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 Such adaptations not only ensure the continuation of species in the most inhospitable conditions on Earth but also remind us of the endless creativity of evolution in crafting solutions to the problems of existence. Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Aldabra does have an inhospitable side: there’s no fresh water, and the temperature soars each day. David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inhospitable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhospitable was circa 1570

Dictionary Entries Near inhospitable

Cite this Entry

“Inhospitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhospitable. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

inhospitable

adjective
in·​hos·​pi·​ta·​ble ˌin-(ˌ)häs-ˈpit-ə-bəl How to pronounce inhospitable (audio) (ˈ)in-ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit- How to pronounce inhospitable (audio)
1
: not friendly or generous : not showing hospitality
2
: providing no shelter or food : barren
an inhospitable desert
inhospitably adverb
inhospitality
(ˌ)in-ˌhäs-pə-ˈtal-ət-ē
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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