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
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Cinderella with one vile stepsister would be locked in a zero-sum game.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Other presidents have been partisan; other presidents have exhibited vile behavior.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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When the status quo is fundamentally evil and dysfunctional, then Trimming is immoral.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Customers will keep fighting back with dirty returns, unused reservations and hostile reviews.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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About 20 miles southwest of Indianapolis, Mooresville residents report finding dirty water filters turning a disconcerting brown.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the especially nasty autumn of 1954, women in June Cleaver dresses and gas masks protested outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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The show excels at casting a spell through odd details, nasty red herrings, disturbing clues.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some countries have laws administering what critics believe are cruel punishments or place undue restrictions on women and minorities.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
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While Tony coddles his own bruised ego, there is clearly a greater reason for the cruel hijinks, which comes in the form of some significant cash.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Your death was preventable, unjust, tragic, and contemptible; utterly contemptible.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Another of Fisk’s enforcers, the British ex-military Buck Cashman (Arty Froushan), comes into his suavely despicable own.—
Bob Strauss,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Mar. 2026
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Another of Fisk’s enforcers, the British ex-military Buck Cashman (Arty Froushan), comes into his suavely despicable own.—
Bob Strauss,
San Francisco Chronicle,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Surrounded by vicious and violent hitmen that have been pressed into service as childcare, Juan Pablo must reckon with his father's crumbling power and find his own way in the world after his death.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
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This vicious cycle increases until the energy is released essentially in an explosion.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detestable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detestable. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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