1
as in hating
to dislike strongly
I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disregarding
to ignore in a disrespectful manner
a traitor hated and despised by the whole community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despising
Cruelty and corruption recognized no regional boundaries, and officials on both sides seem to have come closer to despising than sympathizing with their suffering captives.
—
Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
That’s not the case with Bertha’s son, Larry (Harry Richardson), who seems to have joined his father in absolutely despising Bertha by the end of the season.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
That’s not the case with Bertha’s son, Larry (Harry Richardson), who seems to have joined his father in absolutely despising Bertha by the end of the season.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despising
Verb
-
People can relate to hating gym class, disagreements with siblings or a first breakup.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Mar. 2026
-
That title goes to the government of messianic zealots, Arab-hating nationalists and anti-modern ultra-Orthodox Israelis put together by Netanyahu to keep himself in power.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hezbollah, the paramilitary group in Lebanon, got involved in the conflict, disregarding the state’s sovereignty and firing missiles and drones from Lebanese territory at an Israeli military site near Haifa.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In a March 4 statement, NAACP Director of Environmental and Climate Justice Abré Connor criticized the Ratepayer Protection Pledge for disregarding environmental and climate concerns.—
Neil Strebig,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If paperwork or costs feel daunting, ask a mentor for guidance — take notes to avoid forgetting anything.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Robinson spoke to Kimmel about the nomination and the band’s new music, as well as his ongoing issue of forgetting his lyrics onstage.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By 1845, Marx was scorning his colleagues for floating in the clouds.—
Shai Tubali,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despising. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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