as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
the detestable actions of a nasty little man
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Recent Examples of detestable
But a wave of summer shows were canceled in response, with conservative leader Kemi Badenoch—a uniquely detestable political figure in a country that perfected the form—calling on Glastonbury to remove the band from this year’s bill.
—
Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 28 May 2025
Top-notch casting is the cherry on top, with Lily James as the supremely likable Cinderella, Richard Madden as her down-to-earth prince, Cate Blanchett as the detestable stepmother with her own imperfect backstory, and Helena Bonham Carter as one lovably flighty fairy godmother.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Remember Paul Reiser's detestable Carter Burke in Aliens?
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Naturally, after Mary is taken hostage by Ronald’s detestable rival Jeff, the physical prowess that had eluded him all movie emerges in his time of need.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for detestable
Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 28 May 2025
Top-notch casting is the cherry on top, with Lily James as the supremely likable Cinderella, Richard Madden as her down-to-earth prince, Cate Blanchett as the detestable stepmother with her own imperfect backstory, and Helena Bonham Carter as one lovably flighty fairy godmother.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Remember Paul Reiser's detestable Carter Burke in Aliens?
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Naturally, after Mary is taken hostage by Ronald’s detestable rival Jeff, the physical prowess that had eluded him all movie emerges in his time of need.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for detestable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detestable
Adjective
-
His Max is both vile and charming, and the result is undeniably magnetic.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Slayyyter’s music is vile, explicit, and a threat to common decency.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lawyers for the church argue that Morris’ agreements with the church preclude him from those benefits if he was fired or resigned because of immoral behavior.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Michigan State Police said Robert Wilson, 44, of Gaylord, was arrested on March 25 and lodged at the Otsego County Jail on one charge each of accosting a minor for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The five fabulous transfers who make up coach Dusty May’s starting lineup got down and dirty with the rest of the Wolverines to dig out the national championship on Monday.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
And speaking of windows, Wiseman said that the windows of Orion are already dirty because the crew enjoyed looking out of them so much.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Bisontis’ pass-protection profile doesn’t need a publicist, but his ceiling depends on how much nastier and more consistent the run-blocking becomes.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Andoni Iraola’s side is nasty to play against.—
Jackie Powell,
NBC news,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Its tulle is brittle and sharp, brushing against my fur like a thousand tiny teeth, a cruel lover that bites with every move.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Because here’s the last, and cruelest, kicker.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Most people in the anglosphere don’t follow this region, and those who do get their opinions from a small number of people with a contemptible worldview.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Apr. 2026
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For a man whose alleged bone spurs kept him out of the Vietnam draft to muse about receiving an award reserved for the bravest of the brave of the American armed forces is contemptible.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Where health insurance is concerned, the result is an escalation of the already despicable situation forced on patients by a lack of public insurance option (owing in no small part to commercial insurance giants themselves).—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
2 Apr. 2026
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This is York making a totally clean break from the despicable couple.—
Lauryn Overhultz , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The wereboar growled next to Black Pudding, a hulking vicious monster, both focused on ripping Puck and Cordelia to shreds.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The childishness of his expressions infantilized a genuinely vicious regime, painting it as more peevish than petrifying.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detestable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detestable. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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