loathe

[lohth]

verb (used with object)

loathed, loathing 

1. to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor.

   I loathe people who spread malicious gossip.

   Synonyms: hate, abominate, detest
   Antonyms: like

loathe

/ ləʊð /

verb

1. (tr) to feel strong hatred or disgust for

Other Word Forms

• loather noun
• unloathed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of loathe¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English loth(i)en, lath(i)en, Old English lāthian, derivative of lāth loath

Word History and Origins

Origin of loathe¹

Old English lāthiān, from _loath

Example Sentences

Progressives who loathe large companies made common cause with conservatives who were irate at online speech policing.

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The Ashtons had lived in Ashton Place for generations, but Lord Fredrick seemed loathe to spend time there.

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But Russian thistle is a monstrous piece of botanical grotesquerie, loathed by all.

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Parliamentarians in Brussels will vote for amendments to the legislation on corporate sustainability, a landmark law hailed by green and civil society groups but loathed by firms, approved last year.

Read more on Barron's

Many people loathe SantaCon, the annual event that brings the sound of sleigh bells and the sight, and smell, of hundreds of drunken Santas to city streets around the world.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abhor 
• despise 
• detest 
• hate 

When To Use

What’s the difference between loathe and loath?

Loathe is a verb that means to hate or feel extreme disgust toward, as in I loathe the way he treats his dog or My kids loathe broccoli. Loath is an adjective that means unwilling, reluctant, or disinclined, as in They are loath to get involved in such a messy situation. Loathe always rhymes with the verb clothe. Loath can be pronounced this way, but it can also rhyme with both.Loath is only ever used as an adjective, and loathe is only ever used as a verb. Both words are generally negative, but loathe is much more negative. Loathe is also the more common of the two words.The word loathsome is an adjective form of the verb loathe that means causing feelings of loathing—disgusting or revolting. You would describe someone you loathe as loathsome.Loath is usually followed by the word to and a verb, as in I’m loath to drive that far.To remember that the verb loathe ends with an e, remember that it means the same thing as hate, which also ends with an e.Here’s an example of loath and loathe used correctly in a sentence.Example: I’m loath to think about how much he must loathe me.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between loathe and loath.