hateful

[heyt-fuhl]

adjective

1. arousing hate or deserving to be hated.

   the hateful oppression of dictators.

   Synonyms: loathsome, invidious, repugnant, abhorrent, execrable, abominable
   Antonyms: praiseworthy, commendable, agreeable, likable

2. unpleasant; dislikable; distasteful.

   She found her domestic chores hateful.

3. full of or expressing hate malignant; malevolent.

   a hateful denunciatory speech.

hateful

/ ˈheɪtfʊl /

adjective

1. causing or deserving hate; loathsome; detestable

2. full of or showing hate

Other Word Forms

• hatefully adverb
• hatefulness noun
• unhateful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hateful¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; hate, -ful

Synonym Study

Hateful, obnoxious, odious, offensive refer to something that causes strong dislike or annoyance. Hateful implies actually causing hatred or extremely strong dislike: The sight of him is hateful to me. Obnoxious emphasizes causing annoyance or discomfort by objectionable qualities: His persistence made him seem obnoxious. His piggish manners made him obnoxious to his companions. Odious emphasizes the disagreeable or displeasing: an odious little man; odious servility. Offensive emphasizes the distaste and resentment caused by something that may be either displeasing or insulting: an offensive odor, remark.

Example Sentences

TikTok says the vast majority of content uploaded of the trend is not targeted or hateful and therefore does not violate its policies.

Read more on BBC

Despite federal and state attempts to rid campuses of “diversity, equity and inclusion,” that hateful worldview is still common across the Lone Star State.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That kind of nakedly hateful language — while not yet mainstream — is being both tolerated and defended by Republicans currently in office.

Read more on Salon

Lost Cause mythology relies on perversions of holiness to spread its hateful propaganda.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Hague says she received "hateful comments" in her inbox as a result of the controversy.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• abhorrent 
• bitter 
• despicable 
• disgusting 
• heinous 
• odious 
• ornery 
• repulsive 
• spiteful 
• vicious 
• vile