Despise — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /di-ˈspīz/ de·spise

Meaning & Definition of Despise

Despise (verb)

  1. to strongly dislike or hate, to look down on with disrespect or aversion
  2. to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful

Despise (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to dislike strongly

    "I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!"

    similar: abhor, abominate, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, have it in for
    related: deplore, deprecate, disapprove (of), discountenance, disdain, disfavor, scorn
    opposite: love
    near: desire, fancy, favor, like, prefer, enjoy, relish, admire, adore, approve (of), esteem, hallow, idolize, revere, venerate, worship, cherish, prize, treasure

  2. to ignore in a disrespectful manner

    "a traitor hated and despised by the whole community"

    similar: disregard, flout, scorn
    related: dismiss, forget, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slur (over), belittle, deprecate, disparage, slight
    near: accept, approve, use

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Despise

The most common words with a similar meaning to Despise:

abhor, abominate, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, disregard, flout, scorn, have it in for

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Despise

Words with the opposite meaning of Despise:

love

Related Words for Despise

deplore, deprecate, disapprove (of), discountenance, disdain, disfavor, dismiss, forget, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slur (over), belittle, disparage, slight

Near Antonyms of Despise

desire, fancy, favor, like, prefer, enjoy, relish, admire, adore, approve (of), esteem, hallow, idolize, revere, venerate, worship, cherish, prize, treasure, accept, approve, use

Word Forms of Despise

Inflections: despised, despising

Derived words: despisement (noun), despiser (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Despise

Middle English, from Anglo-French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin despicere, from de- + specere to look spy

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Despise

Frequently Asked Questions about Despise

What does "Despise" mean?

"Despise" means to strongly dislike or hate, to look down on with disrespect or aversion. As a verb, it is defined as: to strongly dislike or hate, to look down on with disrespect or aversion. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Despise"?

Other words for "Despise" include abhor, abominate, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, disregard and flout. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Despise" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Despise"?

There are 26 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Despise". Common alternatives include abhor, abominate, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, disregard, flout, scorn and have it in for.

What is the opposite of "Despise"?

Antonyms of "Despise" include love. Near antonyms include desire, fancy, favor and like.

How do you use "Despise" in a sentence?

Examples of "Despise" in a sentence: "I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!"; "a traitor hated and despised by the whole community".

Is "Despise" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Despise" is a verb.

Is "Despise" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Despise" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Despise"?

"Despise" is pronounced /di-ˈspīz/ and divided into syllables as de·spise.