harbour ill will

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harbour ill will" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a feeling of resentment or hostility towards someone. Example: "Despite their friendly demeanor, she couldn't help but harbour ill will towards her colleague for taking credit for her work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Still, I would have no need for apology cards, as instead of harbouring ill-will towards Scotland for making plans to file for divorce, it's simply made me value them more.

Independent

They said: "He never harboured any ill will against anybody nor did he ever exhibit any violent, extreme or radical views of any kind.

The Guardian

But like I said, I had never heard the term and I still rarely hear it, so I harboured no ill will toward it.

Vice

Though the hoax was serious enough for the History Channel to check on his health, Russell harbours no ill will toward the perpetrators.

Vice

In clipped but direct speech, Mukasheva says Kazakhstan harbours no ill will toward the film today, explaining away any individuals' tensions in recent years as equivalent to the irk an Englishman might feel at being equated to Mr. Bean.

Vice

You don't harbor any ill will.

The New York Times - Arts

"I don't harbor any ill will.

Forbes

"I harbor no ill will," he says.

Los Angeles Times

No ill will toward Troy.

The New York Times - Sports

There was no ill will.

The New York Times

Naked bribery promotes mutual ill will.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "harbour ill will", consider the intensity of the sentiment you want to convey. It suggests a deep-seated, often hidden, resentment. Ensure it aligns with the context of your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "harbour ill will" when a simpler expression of dislike or disagreement would suffice. The phrase implies a significant and persistent negative feeling, so ensure it fits the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harbour ill will" functions primarily as a verb phrase indicating the act of holding or fostering negative feelings or resentment towards someone or something. As evidenced by Ludwig AI, it's commonly used to describe a sustained negative sentiment.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "harbour ill will" is a phrase used to describe the act of holding onto deep-seated resentment or animosity. Although grammatically correct, it is a relatively rare expression. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriate usage for expressing suppressed negativity. While it appears across various contexts, including news and media, it's most effective when conveying a deliberate and sustained feeling of dislike. Consider alternatives like "hold a grudge" or "bear resentment" depending on the context and desired level of intensity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hold a grudge

This alternative suggests a persistent feeling of resentment, similar to "harbour ill will" but perhaps implying a longer duration.

bear a grudge

This phrase is almost synonymous with "hold a grudge", indicating a sustained feeling of resentment.

hold resentment

This phrase directly expresses the feeling of resentment, closely mirroring the meaning of "harbour ill will".

bear resentment

Similar to "hold resentment", this option emphasizes the act of carrying negative feelings.

nurse a grievance

This suggests a more deliberate cultivation of negative feelings, implying active attention to the grievance.

foster animosity

This option implies an active promotion or encouragement of hostile feelings, which is a stronger implication than simply "harbouring".

hold animosity

Expresses the feeling of animosity

cultivate resentment

This alternative suggests actively nurturing and increasing feelings of resentment, making it a stronger term.

nurture bitterness

Suggests actively feeding and prolonging feelings of bitterness, implying a more intense and entrenched negativity.

feel hostile

A more direct and less nuanced expression of negative feelings, focusing on the emotion of hostility.

FAQs

How to use "harbour ill will" in a sentence?

You can use "harbour ill will" to describe someone holding onto deep-seated resentment. For example: "Despite their friendly demeanor, she couldn't help but "harbour ill will" towards her colleague for taking credit for her work".

What can I say instead of "harbour ill will"?

You can use alternatives like "hold a grudge", "bear a grudge", or "hold resentment" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "harbour ill will" or "harbor ill will"?

"Harbour ill will" is the British English spelling, while "harbor ill will" is the American English spelling. Both are correct depending on the regional dialect.

What's the difference between "harbour ill will" and "feel hostile"?

"Harbour ill will" implies a more suppressed and potentially longer-lasting feeling of resentment, while "feel hostile" suggests a more direct and overt sense of animosity.