Standard Lemma guide

antisocial

adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌæntiˈsoʊʃəl/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌæntaɪˈsoʊʃəl/
  • Australian: /ˌæntiˈsəʉʃəl/
  • broad Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • New-Zealand: /ˌɛntiˈsɐʉʃəl/
  • rhymes with -əʊʃəl
  • CMU ARPABET: AE2 N T IH0 S OW1 SH AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: AE2 N T AY0 S OW1 SH AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Unwilling or unable to cooperate and associate normally with other people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • antisocial person

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Antagonistic, hostile, or unfriendly toward others; menacing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Opposed to social order or the principles of society; hostile toward society.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • antisocial ideals

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An antisocial individual.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

hostile to or disruptive of normal standards of social behavior

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • criminal behavior or conduct that violates the rights of other individuals is antisocial
  • crimes...and other asocial behavior
  • an antisocial deed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: asocial

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

shunning contact with others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • standoffish and antisocial
  • he's not antisocial; just shy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h2énts Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *h2énti Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ντῐ́ (ăntĭ́) Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-)der. English anti- Proto-Indo-European *sekw- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *sokwéh2 Proto-Indo-European *-ṓy Proto-Indo-European *sokwh2ṓy Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Indo-European *sokwyós Proto-Italic *sokjos Latin sokios Latin socius Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin sociālisbor. Middle French socialbor. English social English antisocial From anti- + social.

Across languages

Translations

51 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: antisocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Danish: antisocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Finnish: antisosiaalinen — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • French: antisocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Georgian: ანტისოციალური (anṭisocialuri) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Georgian: ანტისაზოგადოებრივი (anṭisazogadoebrivi) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • German: asozial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Greek: αντικοινωνικός (antikoinonikós) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Hungarian: antiszociális — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Icelandic: andfélagslegur — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Italian: asociale — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Italian: antisociale — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Kazakh: антиәлеуметтік (antiäleumettık) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Kazakh: анти-әлеуметтік (anti-äleumettık) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Māori: tūhourangi — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Norwegian: asosial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Polish: aspołeczny — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Polish: asocjalny — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Portuguese: antissocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Russian: антиобще́ственный (antiobščéstvennyj) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Russian: антисоциа́льный (antisociálʹnyj) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Scottish Gaelic: ana-chonaltrach — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Scottish Gaelic: ana-chuideachdail — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Scottish Gaelic: ana-chaidreamhach — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Serbo-Croatian: антисо̀ција̄лан — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Serbo-Croatian: antisòcijālan — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Spanish: antisocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Swedish: antisocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Swedish: asocial — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Telugu: అసాంఘిక (asāṅghika) — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Welsh: gwrthgymdeithasol — unwilling or unable to associate normally with other people
  • Catalan: antisocial — unfriendly toward others
  • German: unsozial — unfriendly toward others
  • German: asozial — unfriendly toward others
  • Hungarian: antiszociális — unfriendly toward others
  • Italian: antisociale — unfriendly toward others
  • Italian: ostile — unfriendly toward others
  • Japanese: 不愛想な (buaisouna) — unfriendly toward others
  • Māori: nihoniho — unfriendly toward others
  • Welsh: gwrthgymdeithasol — unfriendly toward others
  • Catalan: antisocial — hostile to society
  • Georgian: ანტისაზოგადოებრივი (anṭisazogadoebrivi) — hostile to society
  • German: gesellschaftsfeindlich — hostile to society
  • Hungarian: antiszociális — hostile to society
  • Italian: antisociale — hostile to society
  • Italian: ostile — hostile to society
  • Japanese: 反社会的な (hanshakaitekina) — hostile to society
  • Māori: nihoniho — hostile to society
  • Polish: antyspołeczny — hostile to society
  • Sicilian: sarbaggiu — hostile to society
  • Welsh: gwrthgymdeithasol — hostile to society
Real reading context

antisocial in complete knowledge articles