detest
Americanverb (used with object)
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
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has been detestingperfect progressive
Past
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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:
Not only does the Korean magnate understandably detest that style, she has no love for Lindsay either.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
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
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
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
It was funny how he had really come to detest flying.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Reilly said he loves being able to offer affordable food, as he "detests" waste of any kind.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Mensah is a maternal figure who insists that Murderbot show its human face, although the cyborg detests eye contact.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2025
When he pens an exploitative work, like another recent bestseller he detests, he is astonished to get a lucrative publishing deal and a movie offer.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 4, 2024
Beijing detests Lai, whom it believes is a separatist.
From Reuters ● Oct. 23, 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
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
His father, Kenneth, was a conscientious objector who detested social injustice, nuclear weapons and smoking in equal measure.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“I think it’s proper to say that they really detested each other,” said Robert Aldrich, the film’s director.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
For over 20 years, there has not been a single NHL player I detested more than Corey Perry, especially when he played for that other local team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2025
He breezed along beautifully, even emulating certain characteristic mispronunciations of General Dreedle’s, and he was not the least bit intimidated by General Peckem’s new colonel until he suddenly recalled that General Peckem detested General Dreedle.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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
Danton strove to unite all partisans of the Revolution in defence of the country; but the Girondins, detesting his character and fearing his ambition, Fall of the Girondins.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 2 "French Literature" to "Frost, William" by Various
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.
