loathe

verb

loathed; loathing

transitive verb

: to dislike greatly and often with disgust or intolerance : detest
loather noun
Choose the Right Synonym for loathe

hate, detest, abhor, abominate, loathe 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

detest suggests violent antipathy.

detests cowards

abhor implies a deep often shuddering repugnance.

a crime abhorred by all

abominate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation.

abominates all forms of violence

loathe implies utter disgust and intolerance.

loathed the mere sight of them

Examples of loathe in a Sentence

In fact, he was an energetic walker his whole life, but he loathed fresh-air fiends and he was rather stuck on the idea of being dissolute. Paul Theroux, New York Times Book Review, 21 Apr. 1991
How I loathed the look of that type on my pages! Everything I wrote seemed, in that type, arrhythmic, dull, stupid. Joseph Epstein, The Middle of My Tether, 1983
I loathed the job so much that I did it quickly, urgently, almost violently. W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe, 1982
Pushing the table from him while he spoke, as though he loathed the sight of food, he encountered the watch: the hands of which were almost upon noon. Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, 1839
They were rivals who truly loathed each other. I loathe having to do this. It was a habit his wife loathed.
Recent Examples on the Web One, Chinese cybersecurity giant Qi Anxin, was especially loathed, despite being one of I-Soon's key investors and business partners. Associated Press, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 These young artists, the future impressionists, loathed the autocratic regime of Napoleon III. Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 People loathe Medicare’s enrollment period Of course, investors’ dismay toward Medicare does not translate into consumers’ joy. Bob Herman Reprints, STAT, 22 Jan. 2024 The president spoke for millions of Colombians who loathe the corralejas, calling it a blood sport, an abuse of animal and man. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Most of us have probably already heard Brené Brown’s talk on the power of vulnerability and how most of us loathe showing any vulnerability. Melinda Fouts, Ph.d., Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Americans loathe Putin, even after years of Trump’s suck-uppery and the recent awkward attempt at reputation laundering by Tucker Carlson. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024 For Carlos Mendizábal, an architect who loathes Cayalá, that wasn’t surprising. Jody García Daniele Volpe, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2024 So Cash sets out to do some crimes, in the company of Big Cat’s henchmen who loathe him. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loathe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lothen, from Old English lāthian to dislike, be hateful, from lāth

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loathe was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near loathe

Cite this Entry

“Loathe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loathe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

loathe

verb
loathed; loathing
: to feel extreme disgust for or at
loathe the smell of burning rubber
loather noun

More from Merriam-Webster on loathe

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