loathe

verb

ˈlōt͟h How to pronounce loathe (audio)
loathed; loathing
Synonyms of loathe

transitive verb

: to dislike greatly and often with disgust or intolerance : detest
loather noun

Synonyms of loathe

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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
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.
Add to that an illuminated Maybach badge in the grille frame, and love-them-or-loathe-them plastic lower intakes festooned with Maybach logos. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 29 July 2026 The daughter’s reaction, in particular, suggests an impressively mature desire to embrace change rather than loathe it—no small feat for a girl who just lost her stepfather and stepbrother to a tough divorce. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 It’s created some engaging passing, but it’s largely loathed by the drivers. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 28 July 2026 While shorting is a common way for firms to hedge their bets, business leaders tend to loathe activist shorts — the folks who target a company by name, bet against it and trash-talk it in the financial press. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for loathe

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

Rhymes for loathe

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Cite this Entry

“Loathe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loathe. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

loathe

verb
ˈlōt͟h How to pronounce loathe (audio)
loathed; loathing
: to feel extreme disgust for or at
loathe the smell of burning rubber
loather noun

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