1
as in hating
to dislike strongly
I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Larson’s son Lane, then 9, had grown up loving the Bulldogs and despising their rivals, and made his feelings clear.
—
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
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
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despising
Verb
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The Democratic governor’s attack could boost Bianco’s profile and support among Newsom-hating voters.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Can’t Arabs celebrate their heritage without being accused of hating Jews?—
Laura Einhorn,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Other contributing factors included disregarding traffic signals, improper lane usage, following other vehicles too closely and distracted driving.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
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Taylor Swift‘s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, has sparked a lawsuit from a writer, who accuses the singer of knowingly disregarding her claim to a similar name.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Overlooking Year-Round Appeal Another mistake Miller sees is forgetting to plant for visual interest throughout the year.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Apr. 2026
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Not forgetting that the whole thing can fit into a suitcase.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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 17 Apr. 2026.
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