loathe

verb

ˈlōt͟h 

loathed; loathing

transitive verb

: to dislike greatly and often with disgust or intolerance : detest

loather noun

Synonyms

• hate

Choose the Right Synonym for loathe

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 loathe in a Sentence

In fact, he was an energetic walker his whole life, but he loathed fresh-air fiends and he was rather stuck on the idea of being dissolute. —Paul Theroux, New York Times Book Review, 21 Apr. 1991

How I loathed the look of that type on my pages! Everything I wrote seemed, in that type, arrhythmic, dull, stupid. —Joseph Epstein, The Middle of My Tether, 1983

I loathed the job so much that I did it quickly, urgently, almost violently. —W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe, 1982

Pushing the table from him while he spoke, as though he loathed the sight of food, he encountered the watch: the hands of which were almost upon noon. —Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, 1839

They were rivals who truly loathed each other.

I loathe having to do this.

It was a habit his wife loathed.

Recent Examples on the Web

But that dynasty has long been loathed by Thailand’s powerful conservative and royalist establishment which, with the help of both the military and courts, has frequently toppled or tied up Shinawatra-run governments. —Helen Regan, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025

The economy and the public loathed this move. —Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Many were Miccosukee Tribe members who denounced the environmental impact and loathed that the local community had not been consulted ahead of the detention center’s construction. —Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025

Centrists who loathe those policies praise his style. —Mark Chiusano, Time, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lothen, from Old English lāthian to dislike, be hateful, from lāth

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for loathe

• clothe

Kids Definition

loathe

verb

ˈlōt͟h 

loathed; loathing

: to feel extreme disgust for or at

loathe the smell of burning rubber

loather noun