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
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Stargirl
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Among the attributes of Lena Dunham that her detractors detest is the quality of her voice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
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
Not only do the Fremen detest colonizers mining their planet for spice and often attack them, the mining operation is also a dangerous activity in and of itself.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
I detest most intensely the set-up that surrounds me here.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
She said she detests the shift toward app and kiosk ordering at locations in her area.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Judging from his previous term in office, we can be sure that every one of the people around him knows how he detests being disagreed with.
From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2025
He values skill, graciousness, and intellect and detests wanton corruption — especially when it touches him or someone he cares about.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2025
Beijing detests Lai, whom it believes is a separatist.
From Reuters ● Oct. 23, 2023
“The whale abhors chaos; the squid detests order. Is this ship not the bastard child of both?”
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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
A boisterous protest greeted fans arriving at SoFi stadium in Los Angeles, with demonstrators waving the pre-revolutionary flag detested by the leaders of the Islamic republic.
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
Alberto Fujimori was a political outsider who won power in 1990 by sweeping up support among Peru’s poor masses who detested the establishment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
His father, Kenneth, was a conscientious objector who detested social injustice, nuclear weapons and smoking in equal measure.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
I began making plans to go apply for one, even though I detested the idea of carrying a pass.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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
A reader called me out on it, saying that there’s a difference between disagreeing with a position and detesting a person.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2021
His son Arnold might be justified for detesting those who had persecuted his illustrious father, but not for the folly of expressing his feelings in satirical publications against people in power.
From Lachesis Lapponica A Tour in Lapland by Carl von Linn?
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.
