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Hostile vs Vindictive - What's the difference?

hostile | vindictive | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between hostile and vindictive

is that hostile is belonging or appropriate to an enemy; showing the disposition of an enemy; showing ill will and malevolence, or a desire to thwart and injure; occupied by an enemy or enemies; inimical; unfriendly while vindictive is having a tendency to seek revenge when wronged, vengeful.

As a noun hostile

is an enemy.

hostile

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Belonging or appropriate to an enemy; showing the disposition of an enemy; showing ill will and malevolence, or a desire to thwart and injure; occupied by an enemy or enemies; inimical; unfriendly
  • a hostile force
    hostile intentions
    a hostile country
    hostile to a sudden change

    Synonyms

    * antagonistic * hateful

    Antonyms

    * friendly

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chiefly, in the plural) An enemy.
  • Anagrams

    * * ----

    vindictive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having a tendency to seek revenge when , vengeful.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1920 , author=D. H. Lawrence , title=Women in Love , chapter=18 citation , passage=The vindictive mockery in her voice made his brain quiver.}}
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1933 , author=H. G. Wells , title=The Shape of Things to Come citation , passage=The victors will exact vindictive penalties and the losers of course will undertake to pay, but none of them realizes that money is going to do the most extraordinary things to them when they begin upon that.}}
  • (obsolete) punitive
  • Synonyms

    * vengeful, revengeful, nasty * See also

    Derived terms

    * vindictively * vindictiveness