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: commendable, praiseworthy, 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

Derived Forms

• ˈhatefully, adverb
• ˈhatefulness, noun

Other Words From

• hateful·ly adverb
• hateful·ness noun
• un·hateful 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

She told Recode that while she thinks Nextdoor can be a useful tool, she’s concerned about the way it handles content that includes misinformation and hateful posts from neighbors.

From Vox

The domain registrar, Epik, warned that the site would get kicked offline after a flood of complaints about hateful, threatening content.

From Washington Post

That may make hateful ideas seem more widespread than they are.

From Science News For Students

Posts that are hateful or controversial or play into preconceived biases tend to gain more likes, comments and shares than those that are thoughtful, lengthy or nuanced.

From Time

Aaron received thousands of letters every day as he chased down Babe Ruth’s career home run record in the 1970s, and much of it was hateful.

From Washington Post

There is no such thing as speech so hateful or offensive it somehow “justifies” or “legitimizes” the use of violence.

From The Daily Beast

If people could only renounce their hateful ideas, they could learn to love one another.

From The Daily Beast

Would her embrace recognize the decade of hateful touch I had lived through?

From The Daily Beast

“The pro-gay marriage people need to accept that even though we disagree, we are not hateful,” said Brown.

From The Daily Beast

He says, “Why have the Gods made me love a hateful woman” over the body of their dead son.

From The Daily Beast

I guess you are growing up, 17 laughed unconscious Dinah; its hateful and horrid to grow up; I never shall.

From Project Gutenberg

Pete, after spewing the last hateful molecule away, reversed his tiny fibre engines, and began to draw in.

From Project Gutenberg

Deception, so hateful to her truthful soul, she was compelled to carry on even against her trusting husband.

From Project Gutenberg

Oh, if only something, someone would drive away the hateful presence which was following him, surrounding him!

From Project Gutenberg

If those who are going to go in for our hateful business only knew what it really was they would sooner be chambermaids.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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