despicable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- despicability noun
- despicableness noun
- despicably adverb
Etymology
Origin of despicable
1545–55; < Late Latin dēspicābilis, equivalent to Latin dēspic ( ārī ) to despise or dēspic ( ere ) to look down ( dē- de- + -spic- look, combining form of specere ) + -ābilis -able
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.
The authorities were "outraged" and said it was "despicable" but not "criminally significant".
From BBC
"I call for an end to this absolutely despicable exploitation of the tragedy that took place last Thursday evening in Lyon, for which France Unbowed bears absolutely no responsibility," he told reporters.
From BBC
Wright told the High Court they were the "most despicable allegations it is possible to put to any journalist" and that the claims were "utter nonsense".
From BBC
“It’s despicable to imprison a person for exercising their 1st Amendment rights,” McBroom said.
From Los Angeles Times
Yet a little nagging voice kept asking me if perhaps mine hadn’t also been more than a little despicable.
From Literature
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.
