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love-hate relationship

American

[luhv-hayt ri-lay-shuhn-ship] / ˈlʌvˈheɪt rɪˈleɪ ʃənˌʃɪp /

noun

a state of ambivalence in which one feels both love and hate for someone or something.

Transylvania has something of a love-hate relationship with Dracula tourism.
The love-hate relationship between directors and actors is entertainingly dissected in this kiss-and-tell memoir from the directing frontlines.

Etymology

Origin of love-hate relationship

First recorded in 1920–25

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:

love-hate relationship

There’s been something of a love-hate relationship between viewers and the show, which has sometimes dared its audience to keep watching.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Fans of modified Japanese import cars, like me, have a love-hate relationship with the $7 billion “Fast and Furious” franchise.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

Bûcheron — James Beard Award-winning Bûcheron may have softened my love-hate relationship with French cuisine.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

The love-hate relationship she had with the press is well represented by newspaper clippings and newsreels.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

At the same time, Mami and Papi battled each other, intruding into my fantasies with their real-life love-hate relationship.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

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