1
as in to hate
to dislike strongly
I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despise
Though often despised, carp are exceedingly shy and difficult, and great fighters.
—
Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Corporate bosses and some regulators have long despised the practice of rooting for share prices to fall, but defenders say short selling creates an incentive to expose wrongdoing and acts as a check on increasingly passive stock markets.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
If critics truly despise the 365-foot, 210-unit Live Local project, their ire is pointed at the wrong dais.
—Keith Poliakoff, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026
Nearly half of Americans despise them, seeing the wealthy as the beneficiaries of a corrupt system who got rich at their expense.
—Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for despise
Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Corporate bosses and some regulators have long despised the practice of rooting for share prices to fall, but defenders say short selling creates an incentive to expose wrongdoing and acts as a check on increasingly passive stock markets.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
If critics truly despise the 365-foot, 210-unit Live Local project, their ire is pointed at the wrong dais.
—Keith Poliakoff, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026
Nearly half of Americans despise them, seeing the wealthy as the beneficiaries of a corrupt system who got rich at their expense.
—Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for despise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despise
Verb
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For anyone who loves the look of heels but hates the discomfort that usually comes with them, these Vivaia mid-heels offer a refreshing alternative.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
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Whether Washington's political class loves it or hates it, the White House lawn is about to host one of the wildest sports spectacles in American history.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Refs opted to disregard the blatant flagrant foul and the usually stoic Brunson erupted, chasing after the officials before turning on his heel in a fury and returning to the bench.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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Alabama ended the practice of judicial override in 2017 and no longer allows a judge to disregard a jury’s sentencing decision in death penalty cases.—
Kim Chandler,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Reading from Beloved’s final, stunning page, Namwali and Vinson trace how Morrison imbues meaning on the level of syntax and crafts her words into a story that cannot be forgotten.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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Long forgotten – with tools, a mine car and tracks still inside – the entrance was later rediscovered and opened in the 1990s as an attraction and RV park.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despise. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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