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GRE vocabulary

inimical

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore I words

tending to obstruct or harm; hostile

Word origin: From Latin inimicus, enemy, from amicus, friend.

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In a sentence

Inimical in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing inimical in a sentence.

Excessive secrecy is inimical to a healthy democracy.

The committee warned that the proposed tariffs would prove inimical to long-term trade relations.

Synonyms
hostileadverseharmfulantagonistic
Antonyms
favorablefriendly

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Verbal · Text Completion

The historian argued that the empire's collapse was not blank but the predictable outcome of decades of fiscal mismanagement that contemporaries had simply refused to acknowledge.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “inimical” well

Inimical means hostile or harmful to something, and it is often followed by to. It contrasts with favorable and friendly.

Common questions

Questions about “inimical”

Inimical (adjective) means tending to obstruct or harm; hostile
Here is inimical used in an example sentence: "Excessive secrecy is inimical to a healthy democracy." Another example: "The committee warned that the proposed tariffs would prove inimical to long-term trade relations."
Common synonyms for inimical include hostile, adverse, harmful, antagonistic.
Antonyms of inimical include favorable, friendly.
Inimical clusters with hostile, adverse, harmful, and antagonistic. Its antonyms favorable and friendly mark the contrast.
Yes. Inimical is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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