hate 1 of 2

verb

Definition of hatenext
as in to despise
to dislike strongly she hates her job, she hates her friends, and she hates her life!

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hate

2 of 2

noun

ˈhāt How to pronounce hate (audio)
1
as in hatred
a very strong dislike hate can sometimes be replaced with tolerance when people meet face to face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enemy
something or someone that is hated the Alaska pipeline is a pet hate of environmentalists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Defiantly, Arizona decided to adopt nearly all of these constitutional rules Taft hated, and Arizona was vetoed from statehood. —Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026 Love and hate seem like obvious opposites. —Tucker J. Gregor, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
But, the New England team that took the field at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, led by coach Mike Vrabel, is not the easy-to-hate Bill Belichick-led machine that won six rings throughout the 2000s. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026 That type of extra effort requires some real hate. —Prince J. Grimes, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hate
  1. despise
  2. hatred
  3. enemy
  4. abhorrence
  5. phobia
  6. antipathy
  7. detestation
  8. abomination
Verb
  • An unofficial list provided by the Rhode Island Invasive Species Council includes a number of aggressive plants that are widely despised by gardeners, such as Norway maple, Oriental bittersweet, Tree of Heaven, autumn olive, garlic mustard and Japanese knotweed.
    — Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The production reimagines the titular character as Alice, a novelist who despises hollow contemporary mantras and faces backlash for speaking her mind.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of despise
Noun
  • Emily Brontë’s novel is a book that stains — its emotions seep through generations, its hatreds metastasize, its love transforms into something unholy and permanent.
    — Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The Talmud teaches that Jerusalem was destroyed not only because of hatred, but because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred fueled by moral absolutism.
    — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of hatred
Noun
  • Xenomorphs, meanwhile, tried to overwhelm humans and Yautja with a mix of speed and stealth (camping while glued to a ceiling to jump-scare enemies never got old).
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 15 Feb. 2026
  • And, perhaps most importantly, we are feared by the enemies all over the globe.
    — WILL WEISSERT, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of enemy
Noun
  • These findings echo a broader pattern political scientists call affective polarization: the replacement of disagreement with abhorrence.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2025
  • 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
Definition of abhorrence
Noun
  • Beyond needle phobia or the physical discomfort of injections, convenience is a key reason people may be interested in switching to the Wegovy pill.
    — Sean Hashmi, EverydayHealth.com, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The circumstances made the role ill-suited to Bennett, and everyone knew that Shawn was beset by phobias.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of phobia
Noun
  • Fanning the flames of the drama was the mutual antipathy between the couples.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The stability in the Wing’s leadership comes as much of the theater industry – in New York and across the country – continues to grapple with the fallout of the Covid pandemic and shutdown, rising production costs and the Trump Administration’s antipathy towards government arts funding.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Definition of antipathy
Noun
  • Between the lines: Many undecideds are painfully trying to balance their sense of obligation with their detestation for Trump, as USA Today first detailed on Thursday.
    — Erin Doherty, Axios, 14 Dec. 2024
  • 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
Definition of detestation
Noun
  • Orthodox Jews viewed the pop-up novelty with its mixed troupes as an abomination, but young female actors and singers embraced the emancipatory promise of the stage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
  • This second half of Godzilla’s nearly 70-year history is a towering showcase of how versatile Godzilla is; a character who can be a hero, villain, or even eldritch abomination — to mixed results.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of abomination

Browse Nearby Words

hatchways
hate
hate crime
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Cite this Entry

“Hate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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