detest

verb

de·​test di-ˈtest 

dē-

detested; detesting; detests

transitive verb

1

: to feel intense and often violent antipathy toward : loathe

detests politics

They seem to truly detest each other.

2

obsolete : curse, denounce

detester noun

Synonyms of detest

• hate
• despise

Choose the Right Synonym for detest

hate, detest, abhor, abominate, loathe mean to feel strong aversion or intense dislike for.

hate implies an emotional aversion often coupled with enmity or malice.

hated the enemy with a passion

detest suggests violent antipathy.

detests cowards

abhor implies a deep often shuddering repugnance.

a crime abhorred by all

abominate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation.

abominates all forms of violence

loathe implies utter disgust and intolerance.

loathed the mere sight of them

Examples of detest in a Sentence

I detest pepperoni, and wouldn't eat it if you paid me!

Recent Examples on the Web

By coming out in advance of any official announcement of an investigation by the Department of Justice, Siebel Newsom and her husband may be able to take control of the narrative, something Trump detests. —Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

Use the Best Soil and Plant Properly Ferns detest compacted, heavy soil that can lead to root rot if the plant is overwatered. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2026

Iran detests the secular Shi’a government of Azerbaijan, its close relationship with the Sunni regional power Turkey, and its cooperation with Israel, and fears the emergence of transport corridors that could bypass it and weaken its regional leverage. —Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

Many of you detest the extra-innings runner rule. —Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 13 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French detester or Latin detestari; Middle French detester, from Latin detestari, literally, to curse while calling a deity to witness, from de- + testari to call to witness — more at testament

First Known Use

circa 1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for detest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed

Kids Definition

detest

verb

de·​test di-ˈtest 

: to dislike very strongly