despise

[dih-spahyz]

verb (used with object)

despised, despising 

1. to regard with contempt, distaste, disgust, or disdain; scorn; loathe.

   Synonyms: detest, contemn
   Antonyms: admire

despise

/ dɪˈspaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to look down on with contempt; scorn

   he despises flattery

Other Word Forms

• despisable adjective
• despisableness noun
• despiser noun
• despisingly adverb
• undespised adjective
• undespising adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of despise¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin dēspicere; despicable

Word History and Origins

Origin of despise¹

C13: from Old French despire, from Latin dēspicere to look down, from _de- + specere to look

Example Sentences

They despised them with a passion rarely directed at any plant species.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He was acutely aware that a great many of the people who had given him their money now despised him.

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Students are encouraged to despise their society and kept ignorant of anything that might make them think otherwise.

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These two cultures have despised each other from the beginning, the author suggests, and still do.

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Crowds on both sides climbed atop the despised divider with pickaxes and literally began knocking it down.

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Related Words

• abhor 
• deride 
• detest 
• disdain 
• eschew 
• hate 
• loathe 
• neglect 
• reject 
• repudiate 
• revile 
• scorn 
• shun 
• snub 
• undervalue