unfriendly
gb/ʌnfɹˈɛndli/ us/ʌnfɹˈɛndli/
B1
English
barátságtalan, kedvezőtlen, nem felhasználóbarát
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is unfriendly (to [someone])
The receptionist was polite but unfriendly, and I couldn’t tell if she wanted to help.
A recepciós udvarias volt, de barátságtalan, és nem tudtam eldönteni, akar-e segíteni.
He gave me an unfriendly stare and turned away.
Barátságtalan pillantást vetett rám, majd elfordult.
The comments online quickly became unfriendly.
Learner examples
The man was unfriendly to me.
A férfi barátságtalan volt velem.
She seems unfriendly today.
Ma barátságtalannak tűnik.
Common mistake:
Unfriendly usually describes behavior or atmosphere; it does not always mean someone is an enemy.
Meaning
not kind or welcoming
Collocations
an unfriendly person
|an unfriendly tone
|an unfriendly look
|an unfriendly attitude
|an unfriendly reception
|an unfriendly welcome
|an unfriendly response
|unfriendly staff
|unfriendly neighbors
|unfriendly behavior
Synonyms
cold (More about lack of warmth than open hostility.)
|
hostile (Stronger; suggests active unfriendliness or aggression.)
|
unwelcoming (Focuses on making others feel not accepted.)
Antonyms
friendly (Warm, kind, and welcoming.)
|
welcoming (Makes people feel comfortable and accepted.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|social_life
Definition
not nice or not kind to people
Not behaving in a kind, warm, or welcoming way; cold, rude, or hostile toward others.
B2
2
kedvezőtlen
B1
Usage pattern:
unfriendly to [someone/something]
These plants won’t survive in an unfriendly climate.
Ezek a növények nem élnek meg kedvezőtlen éghajlaton.
The new rules are unfriendly to small businesses.
Az új szabályok kedvezőtlenek a kisvállalkozások számára.
The desert is an unfriendly environment for most animals.
Learner examples
This weather is unfriendly to travelers.
Ez az időjárás kedvezőtlen az utazók számára.
Common mistake:
This meaning often describes conditions or environments, not people (e.g., 'unfriendly weather' or 'unfriendly to plants').
Meaning
harmful or not suitable
Collocations
unfriendly conditions
|unfriendly environment
|unfriendly climate
|unfriendly weather
|unfriendly terrain
|unfriendly surroundings
|unfriendly regulations
|unfriendly policies
|unfriendly market
|unfriendly territory
Synonyms
adverse (More formal; commonly used for conditions or effects.)
|
harsh (Emphasizes severity or lack of comfort.)
|
unfavorable (Often used for situations, results, or conditions.)
Antonyms
favorable (Helpful or supportive conditions.)
|
safe (Not likely to cause harm (when safety is the focus).)
Themes
environment
|health
|work
Definition
not good for something; causing problems
Not suitable for success or comfort; harmful, harsh, or likely to cause problems for someone or something.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
unfriendly for [users/beginners]
The app is powerful, but the menu system is unfriendly for beginners.
Az alkalmazás sokat tud, de a menürendszere nem felhasználóbarát a kezdők számára.
I stopped using it because the settings page is unfriendly and hard to navigate.
Azért hagytam abba a használatát, mert a beállítások oldala nem felhasználóbarát, és nehéz eligazodni rajta.
Their website looks nice, but it’s unfriendly on mobile.
Learner examples
This website is unfriendly to use.
Ez a weboldal nem felhasználóbarát.
Common mistake:
Learners often only use 'unfriendly' for people; it can also describe systems, websites, or instructions.
Meaning
difficult to use
Collocations
an unfriendly interface
|unfriendly software
|an unfriendly website
|an unfriendly app
|an unfriendly system
|unfriendly instructions
|unfriendly design
|unfriendly controls
|unfriendly layout
|unfriendly setup process
Synonyms
confusing (Focuses on lack of clarity rather than overall experience.)
|
clunky (Informal; suggests awkward, poorly designed operation.)
|
unintuitive (Emphasizes that it does not feel natural to use.)
Antonyms
user-friendly (Easy and pleasant to use.)
|
intuitive (Easy to understand without much instruction.)
Themes
technology
|daily_life
Definition
hard to use
Not easy or pleasant to use or understand, especially because the design is awkward or confusing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
unfriendly
IPA
GB/ʌnfɹˈɛndli/
US/ʌnfɹˈɛndli/
Syllables & stress
un - friendly (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (friendly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: unfriendly
- Comparative: unfriendlier
- Superlative: unfriendliest
Expressions
on unfriendly terms
1/ˈɔn ʌnfɹˈɛndli tˈɚmz/
fixed phrase
not having friendly relations
not friendly with someone
Examples
- They’ve been on unfriendly terms since the argument last year.
- The two neighbors are on unfriendly terms and avoid speaking.
- After the breakup, they remained on unfriendly terms for months.
Learner examples
- They are on unfriendly terms.
unfriendly fire
1/ʌnfɹˈɛndli fˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
attack by own side
when your own side hurts you by accident
Examples
- Two soldiers were injured by unfriendly fire during the night operation.
- The investigation found that the strike was a case of unfriendly fire.
- They changed their positions to reduce the risk of unfriendly fire.
Learner examples
- He was hurt by unfriendly fire.
unfriendly takeover
1/ʌnfɹˈɛndli tˈeɪkˌoʊvɚ/
fixed phrase
business
hostile company acquisition
when one company tries to buy another that doesn’t agree
Examples
- The board introduced new rules to make an unfriendly takeover harder.
- Rumors of an unfriendly takeover pushed the share price up.
- They mounted an unfriendly takeover bid after negotiations failed.
Learner examples
- The company feared an unfriendly takeover.