loathing

[loh-thing]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR loathing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

strong dislike or disgust; intense aversion.

Origin of loathing

First recorded in 1300–50, loathing is from the Middle English word lathynge. See loathe, -ing¹

Related formsloath·ing·ly, adverbself-loath·ing, adjective, noun

Synonyms for loathing

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR loathing ON THESAURUS.COM

abhorrence; hatred.

Synonym study

See aversion.

loathe

[lohth]

verb (used with object), loathed, loath·ing.

to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor: I loathe people who spread malicious gossip.

Origin of loathe

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

Related formsloath·er, nounun·loathed, adjective

Can be confusedloath loathe loathsome

Synonyms for loathe

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR loathe ON THESAURUS.COM

detest, abominate, hate.

Antonyms for loathe

like.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for loathing

enmity, revulsion, disgust, dislike, hatred, contempt, repugnance, detestation

Examples from the Web for loathing

Contemporary Examples of loathing

Why so many people are so eager to flaunt their musical bona fides by loathing Coldplay.
Why Is It Cool to Hate Coldplay? A First Listen of New Album ‘Ghost Stories’
Andrew Romano
March 26, 2014
In the air is a Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibe, a little campy, a little naughty and a lot raw.
A Tech Millionaire Bets on the Urban Revival of Downtown Las Vegas
Sarah Kunst
January 16, 2014
Their loathing of Kennedy, of Washington liberals, of Martin Luther King Jr., makes for a perfect match.
The Man Oswald First Tried to Kill Before JFK
Bill Minutaglio, Steven L. Davis
October 3, 2013
He should instead be loathing the people who are trying to bring the government to a halt and trying to bring him down.
Advice for Obama: Forget Bulworth. Try Rambo.
Michael Tomasky
May 18, 2013
Perhaps Wiencek is so blinded by his loathing of Thomas Jefferson that he cannot see what is right in front of his eyes.
What Did Thomas Jefferson Really Think About Slavery?
Jan Ellen Lewis
October 17, 2012

Historical Examples of loathing

The lad was like a strippling Judas; his attitude filled Mortimer with loathing.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser
She threw in Beauchene's face all the contempt and loathing that she had felt for him for years.
Fruitfulness
Emile Zola
The shoote is another distemper to which they are liable, and is attended with a violent cholic and the loathing of food.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,
Mary Eaton
We turn from it in loathing, and as we go we carry with us that from which we fly.
The Stark Munro Letters
J. Stark Munro
Can you not conceive the fear that was in me that you should shrink away from me in loathing?
Bardelys the Magnificent
Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for loathing

loathing

noun

abhorrence; disgust

Derived Formsloathingly, adverb

loathe

verb

(tr) to feel strong hatred or disgust for

Derived Formsloather, noun

Word Origin for loathe

Old English lāthiān, from loath

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for loathing

"abhorrence," mid-14c., verbal noun from loathe.

loathe

Old English laðian "to hate, to be disgusted with," from lað "hostile" (see loath). Cognate with Old Saxon lethon, Old Norse leiða. Related: Loathed; loathing.