detest

American

[dih-test] / dɪˈtɛst /

verb (used with object)

to feel abhorrence of; hate; dislike intensely.

Synonyms:

despise, execrate, abominate, loathe, abhor

Antonyms:

like, love

detest British

/ dɪˈtɛst /

verb

(tr) to dislike intensely; loathe

"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

Related Words

See hate.

Other Word Forms

detester noun
undetested adjective
undetesting adjective

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”; testate

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.

Some musicians have said they detest AI music, but casual listeners may not care how a track is made if they find it catchy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

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

The Fundamentalists required no new reason to detest robots and robot manufacturers; but a new reason such as the Quinn accusation and the Calvin analysis was sufficient to make such detestation audible.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023