dislike

[dis-lahyk]

verb (used with object)

disliked, disliking 

1. to regard with displeasure, antipathy, or aversion.

   I dislike working. I dislike oysters.

noun

1. a feeling of aversion; antipathy.

   a strong dislike for Bach.

   Synonyms: disrelish

dislike

/ dɪsˈlaɪk /

verb

1. (tr) to consider unpleasant or disagreeable

noun

1. a feeling of aversion or antipathy

Other Word Forms

• dislikable adjective
• dislikeable adjective
• predislike noun
• self-dislike noun
• self-disliked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dislike¹

First recorded in 1545–55; dis- ¹ + like ²

Synonym Study

Dislike, disgust, distaste, repugnance imply antipathy toward something. Dislike is a general word, sometimes connoting an inherent or permanent feeling of antipathy for something: to have a dislike for crowds. Disgust connotes a feeling of loathing for what is offensive to the feelings and sensibilities: He felt disgust at seeing such ostentation. Distaste implies a more or less settled dislike: to have distaste for spicy foods, for hard work. Repugnance is a strong feeling of aversion for, and antagonism toward, something: to feel repugnance for (or toward ) low criminals.

Example Sentences

While other stars might dislike being photographed off the set, Dean, preternaturally sophisticated about creating an image, reveled in it.

From Los Angeles Times

Vermont’s small congressional delegation is already left of center, and voters tend to like their own representatives, even when they dislike Congress as a whole, giving incumbents a significant advantage.

From Salon

“Or, as defendant Secretary Noem put it succinctly in a February 19 internal memorandum, States whose policies she dislikes ‘should not receive a single dollar of the Department’s money.’”

From Los Angeles Times

But Clarke says there has been a sea-change and younger architects are much more empathetic about producing buildings that are sensitive to the local place and the likes and dislikes of the public.

From BBC

The president has encouraged lawsuits against journalists and media outlets for doing their jobs, and threatened to revoke the broadcast licenses of networks he dislikes.

From Salon

Related Words

• animosity 
• animus 
• antagonism 
• antipathy 
• aversion 
• disapproval 
• disgust 
• displeasure 
• dissatisfaction 
• distaste 
• enmity 
• hatred 
• hostility 
• loathing 
• prejudice