ANTI-FOREIGN Synonyms: 15 Similar and Opposite Words

anti-foreign

adjective

Definition of anti-foreign

as in xenophobic

Related Words

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Dissimilar Words

internationalist

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of anti-foreign This kind of nationalism is often a mixture of utopianism and anti-foreign sentiment, elements shared by the movement that birthed the Chinese Communist Party. — Ian Buruma, Harper's Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022 Demilitarizing those areas now would mean surrendering the CCP’s solemn mission to make China whole again and, consequently, diminishing its ability to use anti-foreign nationalism as a source of legitimacy. — Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023 From Xi Jinping’s quest to regain China’s glory, to Vladimir Putin’s attempts at a new Russian empire, to the rise of populist anti-foreign attitudes in the United States, Britain, Germany, and France, negative views of others underpin many of the conflicts in today’s world. — Literary Hub, 27 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anti-foreign

Adjective

The group traces the country’s history of xenophobic attacks back to 2008, when 62 people—including 21 South Africans, 11 Mozambicans, 5 Zimbabweans and 3 Somalis—were killed in riots targeting refugees.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 1 July 2026
The latest tensions have revived memories of the xenophobic violence of 2008, which killed at least 62 people and displaced thousands.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 29 June 2026

Definition of xenophobic

Adjective

The tension between the need for new workers and resurgent nativist politics will influence who comes, who settles and who is counted among the ancestors of future generations.

— Albert Sun, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Driven by the same nativist and xenophobic ideas, the United States adopted the Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924, which ended mass immigration by introducing national-origin quotas designed to favor Northern and Western Europeans and exclude nonwhite immigrants almost entirely.

— M. Gessen, Mercury News, 11 June 2026

Definition of nativist

Adjective

Stewart wore hers with a chunky pearl choker, red pants, and white sandals for a patriotic look, but the top’s styling potential is endless.

— Claire West, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
Some festivalgoers were sheltering under a museum overhang tonight, singing patriotic tunes as rain began falling.

— Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026

Definition of patriotic

Adjective

Throughout his rise to become the voice of Britain’s populist hard-right, architect of Brexit and chief anti-immigrant activist, any accusations of wrongdoing have largely glided off him.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
That distinction remains critical in South Florida, where many Venezuelans fear criminal narratives can quickly fuel broader anti-immigrant sentiment.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026