hate 1 of 2

hate

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb hate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hate are abhor, abominate, detest, and loathe. While all these words mean "to feel strong aversion or intense dislike for," hate implies an emotional aversion often coupled with enmity or malice.

hated the enemy with a passion

When would abhor be a good substitute for hate?

The meanings of abhor and hate largely overlap; however, abhor implies a deep often shuddering repugnance.

a crime abhorred by all

When might abominate be a better fit than hate?

The synonyms abominate and hate are sometimes interchangeable, but abominate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation.

abominates all forms of violence

When can detest be used instead of hate?

While in some cases nearly identical to hate, detest suggests violent antipathy.

detests cowards

When is it sensible to use loathe instead of hate?

While the synonyms loathe and hate are close in meaning, loathe implies utter disgust and intolerance.

loathed the mere sight of them

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hate
Verb
Skiers who truly hate lines should plan a trip for early April. AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025 But Stearn, who serves on the patient advisory council for Johns Hopkins Medicine, says the loss of telehealth services complicates life for almost everyone – from the working person to Stearn's own 90-year-old mother, who hates traveling to and from the doctor. Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
There’s hate that was coming from women that my baby dad dealt [with] in the past. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2025 No hate, but give your money away, shorties. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hate
Verb
  • Trump supporters despised him, while some Democrats embraced him — if reluctantly — and still many others would always condemn him as a war criminal for his role in Iraq.
    Don Gonyea, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Both brothers despise their father, for good reason.
    Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • My darling, hatred takes the beauty away.
    Tracee Ellis Ross, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Muschietti touched on this in his movies — the bullying of Mike Hanlon and the hate-crime murder of Adrian Mellon — including the way Pennywise fosters and foments the hatred already lurking in the hearts of Derry’s citizens.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • When integrated into multiple systems, the Tactical Edge Electromagnetic Solutions (TEEMS) can jam enemy systems with speed and precision.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Netanyahu said the country would continue trying to bring home the bodies of Israelis still being held across enemy lines, such as Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy hung in Damascus in 1965.
    NPR, NPR, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • These findings echo a broader pattern political scientists call affective polarization: the replacement of disagreement with abhorrence.
    Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2025
  • When human decency and basic civility fall victim to partisanship and ideology, and abhorrence of violence becomes tempered by political aims, monstrosities and tyrannies become possible.
    Michael Bloomberg, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This one’s closer to immersion therapy for phobias around motherhood, mental health, and emotional maelstroms that refuse to tamed or contained.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Here are the most irrational fears travelers have There's a long list of phobias and irrational behaviors that travelers pack for every trip.
    Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The antipathy toward Scherzer stemmed less from his years of excellence as a Dodgers opponent and more from his brief stint on the team in 2021.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Rather than attracting qualified applicants who want to serve in federal law enforcement, ICE may be appealing to people with antipathy toward immigrants, or who see themselves as helping defend the U.S. from demographic changes.
    Raul A. Reyes, Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Between the lines: Many undecideds are painfully trying to balance their sense of obligation with their detestation for Trump, as USA Today first detailed on Thursday.
    Erin Doherty, Axios, 14 Dec. 2024
  • One of the most memorable chapters epitomizes her detestation for the ultra-wealthy and pompous intellectuals who rushed to rationalize her work.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024
Noun
  • The tale of the Navidson family and friends exploring their eldritch abomination of a house features death and survival horror alongside impossible architecture and geometry.
    Big Think, Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Cast aside as an abomination, Karloff’s gentle giant only craves an intimate connection with someone else.
    Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hate. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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