dislike

[dis-lahyk]

verb (used with object)

disliked, disliking 

1. to regard with displeasure, antipathy, or aversion.

   I dislike working. I dislike oysters.

noun

1. a feeling of aversion; antipathy.

   a strong dislike for Bach.

   Synonyms: disrelish

dislike

/ dɪsˈlaɪk /

verb

1. (tr) to consider unpleasant or disagreeable

noun

1. a feeling of aversion or antipathy

Other Word Forms

• dislikable adjective
• dislikeable adjective
• predislike noun
• self-dislike noun
• self-disliked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dislike¹

First recorded in 1545–55; dis- ¹ + like ²

Synonym Study

Dislike, disgust, distaste, repugnance imply antipathy toward something. Dislike is a general word, sometimes connoting an inherent or permanent feeling of antipathy for something: to have a dislike for crowds. Disgust connotes a feeling of loathing for what is offensive to the feelings and sensibilities: He felt disgust at seeing such ostentation. Distaste implies a more or less settled dislike: to have distaste for spicy foods, for hard work. Repugnance is a strong feeling of aversion for, and antagonism toward, something: to feel repugnance for (or toward ) low criminals.

Example Sentences

As he set up his business at three sites in England, locals tried to block his plans because they disliked cars, he said.

Read more on BBC

While other stars might dislike being photographed off the set, Dean, preternaturally sophisticated about creating an image, reveled in it.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Vermont’s small congressional delegation is already left of center, and voters tend to like their own representatives, even when they dislike Congress as a whole, giving incumbents a significant advantage.

Read more on Salon

“Or, as defendant Secretary Noem put it succinctly in a February 19 internal memorandum, States whose policies she dislikes ‘should not receive a single dollar of the Department’s money.’”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But Clarke says there has been a sea-change and younger architects are much more empathetic about producing buildings that are sensitive to the local place and the likes and dislikes of the public.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• animosity 
• animus 
• antagonism 
• antipathy 
• aversion 
• disapproval 
• disgust 
• displeasure 
• dissatisfaction 
• distaste 
• enmity 
• hatred 
• hostility 
• loathing 
• prejudice