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

But try keeping track of what to like or dislike, much less process merit.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Our Constitution was written precisely to protect the kind of speech that powerful people dislike.

Read more on Salon

That extraordinary life and upbringing has always made Trudeau a target for those who dislike him.

Read more on BBC

When the bubble is big enough, it shifts the behavior of the market as a whole from disliking capital expenditure, and hating speculative capital spending in particular, to loving it.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I’m a political journalist and normally dislike evasive answers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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