DESPICABLE Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'despicable' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of despicable are contemptible , pitiable , scurvy , and sorry . While all these words mean "arousing or deserving scorn," despicable may imply utter worthlessness and usually suggests arousing an attitude of moral indignation. // a despicable crime

Q: When can 'contemptible' be used instead of 'despicable'?

The meanings of contemptible and despicable largely overlap; however, contemptible may imply any quality provoking scorn or a low standing in any scale of values. // a contemptible liar

Q: Where would 'pitiable' be a reasonable alternative to 'despicable'?

The words pitiable and despicable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pitiable applies to what inspires mixed contempt and pity. // a pitiable attempt at tragedy

Q: How do 'scurvy' and 'despicable' relate to one another?

Scurvy adds to despicable an implication of arousing disgust. // a scurvy crew of hangers-on

Q: When might 'sorry' be a better fit than 'despicable'?

The synonyms sorry and despicable are sometimes interchangeable, but sorry may stress pitiable inadequacy or may suggest wretchedness or sordidness. // this rattletrap is a sorry excuse for a car

despicable

adjective

di-ˈspi-kə-bəl

Definition of despicable

as in pitiful

arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust even within the prison population, pedophiles are regarded as particularly despicable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vile

not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency the cad's despicable behavior toward women

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pathetic

deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy) a despicable attempt at making a movie comedy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word despicable different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of despicable are contemptible, pitiable, scurvy, and sorry. While all these words mean "arousing or deserving scorn," despicable may imply utter worthlessness and usually suggests arousing an attitude of moral indignation.

a despicable crime

When can contemptible be used instead of despicable?

The meanings of contemptible and despicable largely overlap; however, contemptible may imply any quality provoking scorn or a low standing in any scale of values.

a contemptible liar

Where would pitiable be a reasonable alternative to despicable?

The words pitiable and despicable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pitiable applies to what inspires mixed contempt and pity.

a pitiable attempt at tragedy

How do scurvy and despicable relate to one another?

Scurvy adds to despicable an implication of arousing disgust.

a scurvy crew of hangers-on

When might sorry be a better fit than despicable?

The synonyms sorry and despicable are sometimes interchangeable, but sorry may stress pitiable inadequacy or may suggest wretchedness or sordidness.

this rattletrap is a sorry excuse for a car

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of despicable Maybe America was too busy wrestling with its own history of siding with the most despicable villains around? — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 July 2026 Judge calls Heuermann ‘despicable’ As a series of victims’ kin spoke, Heuermann sat with his hands on the defense table, looking straight ahead and lightly tapping his fingers. — Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026 Among the other fan favorites who would make for exciting returns on the new show are Amaury Nolasco as Michael's loyal cellmate Fernando Sucre, William Fichtner as former FBI agent Alexander Mahone, and Robert Knepper as the despicable predator T-Bag. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026 But Bradley typically found ways to complicate even his most despicable characters. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for despicable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for despicable

Adjective

Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
Yet Scudder, a progressive thirty-six-year-old real-estate analyst raised by lesbians on a purple-hull-pea farm in East Texas, assumed the post in 2025, and has been in a rush to reverse his party’s pitiful showings.

— Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of pitiful

Adjective

In fact, the only previous cinematic encounter was the unfortunate 2003 live-action version with Mike Myers that flopped critically and at the box office, winning a pathetic 10 Razzie nominations as one of the worst pictures of that year.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
Simply pathetic, but, MY LIONS stay close in the NFC North race and sets up what should be one of the biggest Thanksgiving Day games in Lions history when the Bears come to town on November 26.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of pathetic

Adjective

The lame-duck Senate has 22 legislative days scheduled before the new Congress is sworn in.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
Trump was trounced, the country triumphed, and the long national nightmare is over, but for the rest of his lame-duck presidency.

— Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of lame

Adjective

Surely, though, it is not lost on the audience that this play opens in the middle of a strikingly nasty political campaign to elect members of the Chicago school board, warring Democrats all.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Someone who hung up on your problem is unlikely to listen to a nasty critique and vow to reform.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of nasty

Adjective

Anyway, this Jive is unfortunately lacking in both energy and sharp footwork and is generally kind of sad, but Maura and Mark still manage to get 8s.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
The company’s intention is probably to leverage nostalgia to build hype for Nintendo’s big launch, but there’s also something a little sad about this.

— Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

For context, the 27-inch ELF-SR2 sells for around ¥550,000 in Japan, so this is a dramatically cheaper way into Sony's 3D ecosystem, landing in the same ballpark as the $299 Looking Glass Go.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2026
This year’s conflict has shown the relative ease with which cheap drones can slip past some of the world’s most expensive air defense systems and hit pipelines, ports, and ships.

— Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of cheap

Adjective

Hollywood called out as immoral as studio puts paying viewers in charge of the screen.

— , FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of immoral

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desperation

despicable

despicableness

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“Despicable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despicable. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of despicable

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