despicable

[des-pi-kuh-buh l, dih-spik-uh-]

See more synonyms for despicable on Thesaurus.com

adjective

deserving to be despised, or regarded with distaste, disgust, or disdain; contemptible: He was a mean, despicable man, who treated his wife and children badly.

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

Related formsdes·pi·ca·bil·i·ty, des·pi·ca·ble·ness, noundes·pi·ca·bly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for despicable on Thesaurus.com

vile, mean, detestable.

Antonyms

admirable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for despicably

Contemporary Examples

And, despicably, they used the memory of the four slain Americans as cover for their election-year political strategy.
How Republicans Twist Benghazi
Dean Obeidallah
May 8, 2014
As it turns out, they do so selfishly, obnoxiously, and despicably.
‘This Is the End’ Craziest Moments Quiz: Which Celeb Did What?
Kevin Fallon
June 17, 2013

Historical Examples

I flattered myself I was not so despicably weak, for a woman.'
Heartsease
Charlotte M. Yonge
Despicably egotistical he had been in submitting to the chair, in not making one last wild break for freedom at that time.
The Affair of the Brains
Anthony Gilmore
But I own that I agree with him heartily in his opinion that "making a conjurer explain his tricks" is despicably poor fun.
A History of the French Novel, Vol. 2
George Saintsbury
To show you how despicably I think of the business, I will here leave you presently, though I lose the pleasure of railing at you.
Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway
I like it in the French style, all but the lait; that destroys the flavor, besides making it despicably weak.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 85, November, 1864
Various

British Dictionary definitions for despicably

despicable

adjective

worthy of being despised; contemptible; mean

Derived Formsdespicability or despicableness, noundespicably, adverb

Word Origin

C16: from Late Latin dēspicābilis, from dēspicārī to disdain; compare despise

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for despicably

despicable

adj.

1550s, from Late Latin despicabilis, from Latin despicari "despise, disdain, look down on," from de- "down" (see de-) + spicare, variant of specere "to look" (see scope (n.1)).

despicable

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}despicable

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for despicably

Contemporary Examples

And, despicably, they used the memory of the four slain Americans as cover for their election-year political strategy.

As it turns out, they do so selfishly, obnoxiously, and despicably.

Historical Examples

I flattered myself I was not so despicably weak, for a woman.'

Despicably egotistical he had been in submitting to the chair, in not making one last wild break for freedom at that time.

But I own that I agree with him heartily in his opinion that "making a conjurer explain his tricks" is despicably poor fun.

To show you how despicably I think of the business, I will here leave you presently, though I lose the pleasure of railing at you.

I like it in the French style, all but the lait; that destroys the flavor, besides making it despicably weak.

despicable

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for despicably

despicable

adj.

Origin of despicable