detest
Americanverb (used with object)
-
detests,
present (3rd person singular)
-
detested,
past participle, past
-
detesting
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See hate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
detestsimple
-
detestssimple
-
have detestedperfect
-
has detestedperfect
-
am detestingprogressive
-
are detestingprogressive
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is detestingprogressive
-
have been detestingperfect progressive
-
has been detestingperfect progressive
Past
-
detestedsimple
-
had detestedperfect
-
was detestingprogressive
-
were detestingprogressive
-
had been detestingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of detest
First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French detester, from Latin dētestārī “to call down a curse upon, loathe,” equivalent to dē- de- + testārī “to bear witness”; see testate
Explanation
If you detest something, you dislike it intensely. The word can apply to things and also to people. You might detest your ex-boyfriend and you might also detest rainy Mondays and broccoli. Detest comes from the Middle French word détester, meaning "to curse, to call God to witness and abhor." Though the words detest and hate are interchangeable, the word hate is much more common, which has caused it to lose some of its hateful impact. Detest is used more sparingly, reserved for cases where no other word will do, where your feelings of dislike are so powerful that they need just the right word to sum them up.
Vocabulary lists containing detest
Tears of a Tiger
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Stargirl
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List 1
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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.
See Examples For:
Ethnic Persians are about half the population, and even those who detest the theocratic regime don’t want the country to break up or descend into civil war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
People detest her and Prince Harry for stepping back from their royal duties and even more so for going public about what life was like for them.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2025
Carey shares that he used to detest wealthy people, before laughing and noting the irony — his career has made him rich.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025
So can a bridge be built between those who detest the love locks, and those who want them to stay in Bakewell?
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2024
“There is no culture or refinement here. That’s what I detest about this restaurant,” Zell said.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
She said she detests the shift toward app and kiosk ordering at locations in her area.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Reilly said he loves being able to offer affordable food, as he "detests" waste of any kind.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Beijing detests Lai, whom it believes is a separatist.
From Reuters ● Oct. 23, 2023
Crawford detests being out of the lineup for any reason.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 21, 2023
“The only person that made any sense in the dream was Professor Tupper. I mean he was the only person that was there that I know really detests me.”
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
Lai, who was elected president in January 2024, has been an outspoken defender of Taiwan's sovereignty and is detested by Chinese leaders.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
She detested the East Coast avatars of apocalypse, like Nathanael West, who saw only doom and gloom in sunny L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
As much as he detested the abuse that officials received, he was clear that fielding some boos was part of the job.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
He "detested his father", according to Neave, and left East Yorkshire for London's fashionable society.
From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026
Moreover she detested every one of them and so did Telemachus, and with good reason.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
There’s messaging about neighbors with different political views co-existing amicably – or, if not that, detesting each other for reasons other than politics.
From Salon ● Feb. 6, 2025
Also detesting the invasion is Maria Yumasheva, the 19-year-old daughter of Russian real estate developer Valentin Yumashev and his wife Tatyana Borisovna.
From Fox News ● Mar. 5, 2022
The former Liga MX star wasn’t shy about detesting powerhouse Tigres UANL.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 13, 2021
Fearing the power of the Huguenots and detesting their faith, the Guises created the Catholic League, an armed militia of Catholics that included armed monks, townsfolk, and soldiers.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020
I cannot blame men, under these circumstances, for detesting my very name.
From Auricular Confession and Popish Nunneries Volumes I. and II., Complete by William Hogan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
