hates 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hate
as in despises
to dislike strongly she hates her job, she hates her friends, and she hates her life!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hates

2 of 2

noun

plural of hate
as in enemies
something or someone that is hated the Alaska pipeline is a pet hate of environmentalists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 hates
Verb
Belichick is just as famous as Sanders, but finding a man on the street who loves or hates Belichick (and isn’t a Jets or Dolphins fan) would be difficult. — David Ubben, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Apparently, Whoopi hates group threads but is a great one-on-one texter. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 Mimikyu hates bright sunlight and prefers to stay in dark, hidden places. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026 True, Francesca Hong hates America, Thanksgiving and most national holidays, and is anti-Israel and anything slanted to the true American ideals that made our country great. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 This guy hates smells, blood and gore, so the humor and comedy is in the commitment. — Matt Minton, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 Alex, pointedly called Alexa by her mother (Florencia Lozano), who hates Alex’s tomboyish style, works in a bodega and looks after her brother a lot. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026 Talarico also hates Christianity, the oil and gas industry and families, Paxton said. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026 The letter wears a visible hearing aid and hates the offensive jokes about it. — Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
On the April 14 episode of the Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club podcast, the bestselling author, whose debut adult romantasy novel Starside hit shelves on March 31, spoke with journalist Danielle Robay about all things writing — including her romance genre loves and hates. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hates
  1. despises
  2. enemies
  3. phobias
  4. abominations
  5. adversaries
Verb
  • But whereas The Holdovers’s Paul Hunham despises his lazy, pampered students, The Debut’s Jerry Blankenbuehler has a determination to summon theatrical magic out of his meager cast.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Naturally, this puts him at odds with the Green Lantern Corps – but Sinestro really really despises the Guardians of the Universe the most here.
    — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of despises
Noun
  • But unlike other Floridians of Cuban descent — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio — Valdes ended up defending Cuba’s socialist revolutionaries and officials who have killed, jailed, tortured, and censored numerous political enemies.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Other paths, however, decrease the number of enemies (decrement), and still other areas can open a passage when there are no more enemies (jump-if-zero).
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of enemies
Noun
  • Cage plays Roy, a gifted con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder whose tics, phobias and elaborate rituals have turned his immaculate home into a fortress against the world.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Turns out that the star had quite the number of phobias to conquer.
    — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of phobias
Noun
  • 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
  • As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.
    — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Definition of abominations
Noun
  • Plainly, companies in China and other adversaries such as Iran, North Korea, and Russia should be fair game.
    — DAVID S. COHEN, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Today, drone technology is creating a similar dynamic, helping weaker adversaries narrow the strategic advantages that major powers — including the United States — have long enjoyed.
    — Todd J. Stein, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of adversaries

Browse Nearby Words

hatefulness
hates
hating
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Cite this Entry

“Hates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hates. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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