to despise

Examples

• All

• People despise me for it.

  The Benchwarmers (2006)

• People inside and out nod hello, but they despise him; they fear him.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Most of the time I despise myself.

• Those people you despise almost as much as they despise you?

  Hannibal (2001)

• Well, most young people despise the mainstream media.

  Adam Conover

• "I know the tricks, and I despise you and everything you stand for."

  Fiction book (1991)

• I know many people despise their exes, but Alicia might have been my best friend.

  Hit Man (2024)

• His mum still says she despises me, doesn't want anything to do with me.

• Many people despise rude behavior in public places.

• He despised his former job for how it undervalued his skills.

Synonyms

H

to hate

vsto despise

∞ 1.0

To feel a very strong dislike for someone or something

adds the element of looking down with contempt rather than only anger

C

to can't stand

vsto despise

516 3.2

Strongly dislike and be unable to bear something or someone

leans more toward contempt and scorn than simple intolerance or annoyance

D

to dislike

vsto despise

204 1.0

To not like someone or something strongly

is stronger, adding contempt and active looking down beyond mere distaste

L

to loathe

vsto despise

58 5.3

To dislike someone or something very strongly

focuses more on contempt and lack of respect than pure disgust

S

to scorn

vsto despise

51 5.5

To show dislike and no respect for someone or something

emphasizes inner dislike and lack of respect more than active rejection

D

to detest

vsto despise

49 3.5

To feel a very strong dislike for someone or something

adds the idea of looking down and contempt rather than only hatred

A

to abhor

vsto despise

26 7.8

To hate something very much

places emphasis on looking down with contempt rather than raw hatred

H

to hold in contempt

vsto despise

23 7.8

To feel strong dislike and no respect for someone or something

expresses inward strong dislike rather than mainly outward disrespect

F

to frown upon

vsto despise

23 4.2

To think something is not acceptable

means deep personal dislike and lack of respect, not just social disapproval

D

to disdain

vsto despise

15 6.4

To treat a person or thing as not worthy of respect

is more about personal strong dislike and lack of respect than mere rejection

D

to disfavor

vsto despise

• US

1 5.7

To dislike and not support people or things

expresses personal contempt and scorn rather than mere disapproval or lack of support

C

to contemn

vsto despise

• Literature

1 9.9

To treat someone as unimportant and show strong dislike for them

focuses more on the inner strong dislike and lack of respect

A

to abominate

vsto despise

• Formal

1 9.4

To hate something very strongly

expresses contempt and lack of respect more than only moral revulsion

Antonyms

E

to esteem

14 4.6

To have respect for someone because of what they do

How Contemptuous

to loathe

58 5.3

to despise

192 4.9

to detest

49 3.5

Surface Forms

Etymology