Inimical
adj. /ɪˈnɪmɪkəl/ (اِنِیمِیکَل)Tending to obstruct or harm; unfriendly or hostile.
Inimical Meaning in Urdu
In everyday Urdu, inimical describes conditions, policies, or attitudes that work against someone’s interests.
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1
Harmful or damaging to something, such as interests or conditionsنقصان دہ
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2
Unfriendly or hostile (of a person or attitude)دشمنانہ
“Inimical” is most often used for conditions or circumstances harmful to interests or goals, rather than describing people directly.
Word Details
| Word | Inimical |
| Part of Speech | Adjective |
| CEFR Level | C1 |
| Difficulty | Ielts |
| Urdu Meaning | مخالف، نقصان دہ |
| English Meaning | Harmful to interests; unfriendly or hostile |
| Pronunciation | /ɪˈnɪmɪkəl/ |
| Word Type | Formal adjective |
| Commonness | Common in academic, economic, and political writing |
Pronunciation
Simple English Explanation
Use “inimical” for conditions, policies, or environments that work against someone’s interests or goals — an inimical business environment, or policies inimical to economic growth.
اردو وضاحت
“Inimical” ایسے حالات یا پالیسیوں کے لیے استعمال ہوتا ہے جو کسی کے مفادات یا اہداف کے خلاف ہوں۔
Example Sentences
Synonyms
Nuance: “Adverse” is a neutral, general term for negative effect; “inimical” specifically implies something actively opposed or harmful to particular interests or goals, often in a systemic or policy context.
Antonyms
Common Collocations
Word Family
| Form | Word |
|---|---|
| Adjective | Inimical |
| Noun | Related concept: enmity |
| Adverb | Inimically |
There is no standard verb form of “inimical” in modern English.
Inimical vs Hostile
“Hostile” directly describes an aggressive, unfriendly attitude — a hostile crowd, a hostile response.
“Inimical” is broader and more formal, often describing conditions, policies, or environments that harm interests or goals, not necessarily involving direct personal hostility.
Common Mistakes
✓ The unpleasant weather ruined our picnic.
“Inimical” implies active opposition to specific interests or goals, not just ordinary bad luck or discomfort.
IELTS Usage
Writing: Useful in Task 2 essays about economics, policy, or environmental issues (“inimical to economic growth”).
Speaking: Less common in speaking; it is more of a formal, written word.
Example: “Excessive bureaucracy can be inimical to a country’s economic competitiveness.”
MDCAT / Academic Usage
Appears in economics and political science passages discussing policies or conditions harmful to particular interests; not scientific vocabulary itself.
Word Origin / Etymology
From Latin inimicus (“enemy”), combining in- (not) and amicus (friend).
Memory Tip
“In-AMIC-al” contains “amic,” like “amicable” (friendly), with “in-” (not) — inimical literally means “not friendly,” i.e., harmful or hostile.
Mini Quiz
1. Meaning of “inimical”:
2. Correct sentence:
3. Antonym of “inimical”:
Score: 0 / 3
FAQs
What is the meaning of inimical in Urdu?
Inimical means مخالف، نقصان دہ — tending to obstruct or harm; unfriendly or hostile.
Is inimical a noun, verb, or adjective?
Adjective; the adverb form is inimically. There is no direct noun form, though it relates conceptually to “enmity.”
What are the synonyms of inimical?
Harmful, hostile, adverse, and detrimental — with nuance explained above.