SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
detest
verb
To dislike someone or something intensely.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Dislike intensely
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topCannot stand is informal; despise adds contempt, while detest primarily emphasizes intense dislike.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See detest in use
Although she enjoyed lively conversation, she came to detest needless interruptions.
Several craft-fair vendors came to detest a shrill advertising jingle that played repeatedly beside their stalls throughout the morning.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license