hatred

noun

ha·​tred ˈhā-trəd 

1

: extreme dislike or disgust : hate

2

: ill will or resentment that is usually mutual : prejudiced hostility or animosity

… old racial prejudices and national hatreds …

—Peter Thomson

Synonyms of hatred

• contempt
• hate
• distaste
• disdain
• loathing
• abhorrence
• detestation
• hostility
• spite
• abomination
• disgust

Examples of hatred in a Sentence

He had an irrational fear and hatred of foreigners.

She makes no attempt to conceal her hatred for her opponents.

This troubled city is filled with hatred, prejudice, crime, and fear.

The war was fueled by hatreds that were centuries old.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay. — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

That is why this hatred, growing within our own party, wounds so deeply. — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026

She's been booed as a visiting player, elbowed in the face then called for a foul herself, all while some fans have been allowed to bring in signs expressing hatred towards her. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Yet the hatred of Dulles—so absolute in its consensus—reminds me of other ways in which our culture has hardened. — Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hatrede, from hate hate entry 1 + -rede, suffix denoting state or quality, going back to Old English -rǣden — more at kindred entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hatred

• self-hatred

Kids Definition

hatred

noun

ha·​tred ˈhā-trəd 

: hate entry 1 sense 1