Definition of animusnext

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 Typical of rape survivors, black women were freighted with a particular kind of animus. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026 Lacrosse parents pushed for accountability, and there is a perception in town that Blake acted here out of animus and retaliation against the team. Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026 After moving back to the city at twenty-seven, Goetz became obsessed with local blight, and racial animus came to dominate his worldview. Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 And that racial animus was what was making it – as Dorothy Fujita-Rony, who writes on Filipino-American workers in Seattle, identified – this time, the 1920s and ’30s, as a period of profound violence against Filipinos in the United States. Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for animus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animus
Noun
  • Engelbert has consistently mismanaged the overt physical hostility directed at the league's biggest star.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Today, however, some experts suggest that explicit displays of racial hostility have become more visible in public spaces.
    Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Most weddings have some logistical drama — exes with grudges, estranged former besties, etc.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026
  • That's a grudge he's carried that he's described publicly.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Disciples of this extremist hatred are running for office and winning in select primaries.
    Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 29 June 2026
  • But to the man himself, comedy is—like life—first and foremost about hatred of death.
    Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Animus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animus. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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