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
No matter how detestable the overthrown governments may be, precedents show that regime changes lead neither to democracy nor to peace, but to chaos, civil war and dictatorship.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
Since season 1, Steve has evolved from detestable jock to one of the series’ most beloved and protective figures.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
But the context, circumstances and lack of reflection made his this detestable being.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 25 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for detestable
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
Since season 1, Steve has evolved from detestable jock to one of the series’ most beloved and protective figures.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
But the context, circumstances and lack of reflection made his this detestable being.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 25 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for detestable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detestable
Adjective
-
While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
Maddie Scott reposted vile comments from one user in particular that threatened not only her and her husband, but also their newborn son.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Religious practitioners may also regard nonheterosexual orientations or non-cisgender identities as immoral or otherwise inconsistent with their religious beliefs.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
-
Republicans, grow a spine and stop the immoral president.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
There are two freezer martini variations – one with vodka, served dirty and another with gin and a lemon twist.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
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Wet bathing suits and dirty clothes need somewhere to go once your kid has changed into something dry and clean.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
This problem usually begins in hidden crevices in seals and gaskets, but this nasty biofilm can eventually spread and make your dishwasher unsanitary.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Dec. 2025
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Fluent in the Dominican power bouyon offshoot known as nasty business, Miimii commands the enterprise with sing-speak vocals that operate on a strictly single-entendre basis, dispensing with innuendo to directly address the question on her suitor’s hips.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
But nothing would have prepared him for this — the death of a beloved first-team player, and in such arbitrary, cruel circumstances.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
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They were joined by actors playing the contestants, who lurched along wearing expressions of exaggerated horror, as though the cruel stakes of the game had just been revealed to them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Safetyism became a dirty word on the tech right, almost as contemptible as the phrase woke AI—an all-purpose indictment of Biden-era attempts to limit harm from AI to the public, especially children.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
4 May 2026
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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
Adjective
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But Bradley typically found ways to complicate even his most despicable characters.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
-
Ditto his despicable aides and Cabinet members, his unprincipled sycophants and suck-ups.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Beyond that coincidence, Coleman grew to appreciate Alexander as a multi-sport star – a standout hurdler in track and a tough defender/vicious dunker in basketball.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
9 Dec. 2025
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Takahashi’s story delights in throwing more and more wrenches in the works with a growing cast of chaotic supporting characters (like the vicious Shampoo and the blowhard Tatewaki Kuno), and the anime adapts their antics as pastel-toned slapstick.—
Kambole Campbell,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detestable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detestable. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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