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Definition of hatenext

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
The deaths were so violent that investigators believed the killer was someone who knew and hated the couple. — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 These frauds hate Sweeney because of some MAGA hat at a party like four years ago. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
How McCarty sees the current situation McCarty acknowledged that there had been an uptick in hate attacks nationally. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026 The show, which stars Jessica Chastain as an investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to prevent incidents of mad violence. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hate
Verb
  • For example, Scalia famously cast the deciding vote in 1989 to hold unconstitutional a law criminalizing burning the American flag despite being a big patriot and despising such activities.
    — Brian Fitzpatrick, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In both projects, she was tasked not only with playing the same person from young adulthood to maturity, but also with bringing new dimension to a literary character whom readers have misguidedly despised for decades.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Hearst newspaper chain’s first profile of Hitler made no explicit mention of antisemitism, emphasizing instead his hatred of the Bolsheviks.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Bartos argues the gathering codified radical anti-Western hatred, antisemitism, and anti-American sentiment, birth-place to the BDS movement.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • For his druggy riff on Big Daddy, Firstman recruited former enemies, current friends, and a variety of other personalities from New York’s LGBTQ+ party scene.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Ali’s mournful assassin is trying to stay one step ahead of his enemies and, likewise, the movie fights like hell to elude conventionality.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • El-Sayed and Piker have professed their abhorrence of anti-Semitism.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • 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
  • What caught him by surprise was the conversation around fat-phobia that accompanied the film’s release.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Prisoners just always have this phobia of the world moving on from them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The other is that Republicans’ antipathy towards vote-by-mail is waning.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
  • Alexander Kazakov | Afp | Getty Images That Russia and China are seen as ideologically aligned on many geopolitical issues, with each sharing a traditional antipathy and distrust towards the West, and Washington.
    — Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • How Nelson is reformulated from one who feels desire to one who feels detestation (as well as shame for having desired) is the remarkable achievement of both the story and the storyteller and the system that requires it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Feb. 2026
  • 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
  • What are the implications when much of humanity witnesses the same pyrotechnic abomination at the same time?
    — David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026
  • It a thematic fit, and after nearly 200 episodes, there’s no doubting this team’s ability to deliver fresh, new abominations.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hate. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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