loathsome

adjective

ˈlōth-səm How to pronounce loathsome (audio)
Definition of loathsomenext
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment we traced the foul smell to a pile of loathsome garbage by the back wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 loathsome Assayas’s aesthetic is too genteel to even imagine the specifics of loathsome doctrines. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026 Helping the audience understand loathsome people without understanding them is a more subtle, if equally essential, inheritance. — Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026 Most of Becket’s relatives are loathsome (Grace is funny as a fraudulent self-help quasi-religious guru), though his uncle (the great Bill Camp) is a decent fellow who wants to lend Becket a hand. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 18 Feb. 2026 In the show’s first episode, Jaquel Spivey, who starred in the Broadway production of A Strange Loop, a musical about the experience of being a self-hating fat gay Black man, is introduced as a loathsome incel. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loathsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loathsome
  1. disgusting
  2. ugly
  3. awful
  4. horrible
  5. sickening
  6. hideous
  7. obnoxious
  8. obscene
Adjective
  • People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The better to act out empire’s idea of what disgusting demonic sickness looks like.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • That's on the heels of a 41-7 blowout at Northwestern that was ugly enough for Deion Sanders to dismiss a handful of players for conduct detrimental to the team days later.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • In a world where (good, bad and ugly) answers and options are available, an employer needs a workforce that understands the business objectives and can weed through the noise to identify and execute the best solution.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • On Saturday in Orlando playing against a Central Florida team that was without its starting quarterback and three other starters, TCU was awful in a 21-13 loss in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Nicky Lopez, Brett Phillips, Tim Hill and Mike Moustakas spent stints in an awful 2024 season that saw the White Sox set an MLB record with 121 losses.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • At its worst, cognitive impairment can be a horrible, life-altering disease for patient and loved ones.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Doubs had a horrible debut in the league’s season opener last week against the Seattle Seahawks.
    — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • That is one of the most shocking moments of the series, apart from some of the twists and turns towards the end, and probably the most sickening.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Everyone felt the sickening harsh reality that this had happened on our sovereign soil and that it was meant to be an affront to everyone who felt pride in being an American.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • Another reason to feel supreme confidence in this team’s juggernaut potential is that Chicago’s defense appears to be just as hideous as the fantasy community had hoped.
    — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Three seconds later, I was surrounded by hideous monsters who were probably nice kids before the local NBC news devoted the feature story on their prime-time show Weekend to an in-depth study of English punk.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • Delafonte is Playboy Ray, a cocky, obnoxious, and supremely talented all-around cowboy.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • But for now, Line of Fire‘s drama remains on the right side of the divide between juicy and obnoxious.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of obnoxious
Adjective
  • Current Florida law says a school district can review and remove a book after a complaint has been made that a book is pornographic, obscene or isn’t age appropriate.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Created under O’Hare’s leadership, the decorum policy prohibits personal attacks, impertinent, profane, obscene, or slanderous remarks as well as threatening, disruptive or unruly behavior.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscene

Browse Nearby Words

loathings
loathsome
loathsomeness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loathsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loathsome. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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