despise

1 of 2

verb

de·​spise di-ˈspīz 

despised; despising

transitive verb

1

: to strongly dislike or hate : to look down on with disrespect or aversion

despised the cruel

Although despised by critics, the movie attracted a wide audience.

Most Americans despise turning their clocks an hour forward in the spring and an hour back in the fall, polls show.

—Dave Goldiner

Her [Deirdre Bair's] new book describes the animosity between Beckett and de Beauvoir, who were neighbors but despised each other.

—Carole Goldberg

2

: to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful

despises rampant consumerism

despisement

di-ˈspīz-mənt 

noun

despiser

di-ˈspī-zər 

noun

despiser

2 of 2

noun

de·​spis·​er -zə(r) 

plural -s

: one that despises

Synonyms of despise

Verb

• hate

Choose the Right Synonym for despise

despise, contemn, scorn, disdain mean to regard as unworthy of one's notice or consideration.

despise may suggest an emotional response ranging from strong dislike to loathing.

despises cowards

contemn implies a vehement condemnation of a person or thing as low, vile, feeble, or ignominious.

contemns the image of women promoted by advertisers

scorn implies a ready or indignant contempt.

scorns the very thought of retirement

disdain implies an arrogant or supercilious aversion to what is regarded as unworthy.

disdained popular music

Examples of despise in a Sentence

Verb

He and Julie grooved to Cuban son and jazz on NPR and loved arty films, for instance; and they distrusted big business and despised tract houses, malls, and other aesthetically unpleasing byproducts of a consumer society. —Brian C. Anderson, National Review, 13 Mar. 2006

She was despised as a hypocrite.

I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But whereas The Holdovers’s Paul Hunham despises his lazy, pampered students, The Debut’s Jerry Blankenbuehler has a determination to summon theatrical magic out of his meager cast. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

One of the eternally weird things about the genre is how the first-wave British legends still despise the term and refuse to be associated with it, even though it’s been decades since anyone used it as a pejorative. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026

And Hadl, who both was an assistant coach and later an administrator at KU, not to mention one of the greatest KU players of all time, also despised the Tigers. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2026

By the end, Moreno was as despised by his fanbase as any owner in baseball. — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin despicere, from de- + specere to look — more at spy

Noun

Middle English, from despisen + -er

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for despise

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

despise

verb

de·​spise di-ˈspīz 

despised; despising

: to consider as beneath one's notice or respect : feel scorn and dislike for

despiser noun

despisingly adverb