Phrase guide

ill will

noun · 3 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A spiteful or vengeful attitude; a grudge; dislike.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • The losing side bore no ill will toward the winners.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bad blood

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a hostile (very unfriendly) disposition

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he could not conceal his hostility

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hostility

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unfriendliness

Narrower terms: virulence, virulency

3

noun

Meaning 3

the feeling of a hostile person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he could no longer contain his hostility

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hostility, enmity

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hate, hatred

Narrower terms: animosity, animus, bad blood, class feeling, antagonism, aggression, aggressiveness, belligerence, belligerency, resentment, bitterness, gall, rancor, rancour

History

Etymology

From Middle English ill will, il wille, ill wille, equivalent to ill + will.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: չարակամություն (čʻarakamutʻyun) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Azerbaijani: qərəz — ill-disposed attitude
  • Bulgarian: недоброжелатество (nedobroželatestvo) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惡意 /恶意 (èyì) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Chinese Mandarin: 敵意 /敌意 (díyì) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Chinese Mandarin: 憎惡 /憎恶 (zēngwù) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Finnish: kauna — ill-disposed attitude
  • Finnish: paha tahto — ill-disposed attitude
  • French: mauvaise intention — ill-disposed attitude
  • French: malveillance — ill-disposed attitude
  • French: rancune — ill-disposed attitude
  • Hindi: बैर (bair) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Hindi: विद्वेष (vidveṣ) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Hungarian: rosszindulat — ill-disposed attitude
  • Hungarian: rosszakarat — ill-disposed attitude
  • Khmer: បំណងអាក្រក់ (bɑmnɑɑng aakrɑk) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Latin: malitia — ill-disposed attitude
  • Latin: aerugo — ill-disposed attitude
  • Māori: kaikino — ill-disposed attitude
  • Plautdietsch: Groll — ill-disposed attitude
  • Polish: ansa — ill-disposed attitude
  • Portuguese: má vontade — ill-disposed attitude
  • Russian: недоброжела́тельность (nedobroželátelʹnostʹ) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Russian: вражде́бность (vraždébnostʹ) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Sanskrit: इरस् (iras) — ill-disposed attitude
  • Spanish: inquina — ill-disposed attitude
  • Spanish: malquerencia — ill-disposed attitude
  • Swedish: illvilja — ill-disposed attitude