Word: inimical (adjective)

Associations

The word "inimical" means harmful or unfriendly. It is often used to describe something that works against or is hostile to a person, idea, or situation.

• The cold weather was inimical to the plants. (The cold harmed the plants.)
• His inimical attitude made it hard to work with him. (He was unfriendly or hostile.)
• Policies inimical to economic growth can cause problems. (Policies that harm growth.) A similar word is "hostile," but "inimical" can also mean harmful in a less direct or less aggressive way, not only openly unfriendly.

Substitution

You can replace "inimical" with:

• harmful (focuses on causing damage)
• unfriendly (focuses on attitude or feelings)
• hostile (stronger, more aggressive than inimical)
• adverse (meaning working against something, often used in formal contexts) The choice changes the tone: "hostile" sounds more aggressive, "harmful" is more about damage.

Deconstruction

The word "inimical" comes from Latin "inimicus," where "in-" means "not" and "amicus" means "friend." So, it literally means "not friendly." This origin helps explain why it means unfriendly or harmful.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where someone or something was inimical to your goals?
• How would you describe a policy or rule that is inimical to students’ success?
• Is "inimical" more about feelings or about practical harm in your opinion? Why?