ill will
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ill will
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I don’t wish any ill will on them at all,” Rodgers said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
That can trigger jealousy or ill will if one partner seeks to “beat” the other’s performance.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 5, 2026
The ill will is chalked up to the idea that everybody hates a winner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 25, 2026
Ms Dzafce has apologised for the photo, noting it has "caused ill will in many people".
From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2025
That would have likely put an end to the late pickups, though it would have also engendered plenty of ill will.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.