Standard Lemma guide

detest

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /dɪˈtɛst/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛst
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 T EH1 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: D IY0 T EH1 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To dislike (someone or something) intensely; to loathe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I detest snakes.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To witness against; to denounce; to condemn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

dislike intensely; feel antipathy or aversion towards

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I hate Mexican food
  • She detests politicians

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dislike

Narrower terms: abhor, loathe, abominate, execrate, contemn, despise, scorn, disdain

History

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes From Middle French detester (French détester), from Latin dētestor (“to imprecate evil while calling the gods to witness", "denounce", "hate intensely”), from dē- + testor (“to testify, bear witness”), from testis (“a witness”); see test, testify. Doublet of detestate.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мразя (mrazja) — to dislike intensely
  • Bulgarian: ненавиждам (nenaviždam) — to dislike intensely
  • Catalan: detestar — to dislike intensely
  • Chinese Mandarin: 厭恨 /厌恨 (yànhèn) — to dislike intensely
  • Chinese Mandarin: 恨死 (hènsǐ) — to dislike intensely
  • Czech: ošklivit si — to dislike intensely
  • Czech: hnusit si — to dislike intensely
  • Dutch: verafschuwen — to dislike intensely
  • Esperanto: abomeni — to dislike intensely
  • Esperanto: malamegi — to dislike intensely
  • Finnish: inhota — to dislike intensely
  • French: détester — to dislike intensely
  • French: mépriser — to dislike intensely
  • German: verabscheuen — to dislike intensely
  • Hungarian: gyűlöl — to dislike intensely
  • Ingrian: inhota — to dislike intensely
  • Irish: an ghráin a bheith agat ar — to dislike intensely
  • Italian: detestare — to dislike intensely
  • Japanese: 大嫌い (daikirai) — to dislike intensely
  • Japanese: ひどく嫌う (hidoku kirau) — to dislike intensely
  • Latin: odi — to dislike intensely
  • Latin: exsecror — to dislike intensely
  • Latin: execror — to dislike intensely
  • Latin: abōminor — to dislike intensely
  • Norwegian: avsky — to dislike intensely
  • Polish: nienawidzić — to dislike intensely
  • Polish: nie cierpieć — to dislike intensely
  • Portuguese: detestar — to dislike intensely
  • Portuguese: odiar — to dislike intensely
  • Russian: ненави́деть (nenavídetʹ) — to dislike intensely
  • Scots: laith — to dislike intensely
  • Scottish Gaelic: fuathaich — to dislike intensely
  • Spanish: detestar — to dislike intensely
  • Swedish: avsky — to dislike intensely
  • Thai: ชิงชัง (ching-chang) — to dislike intensely
  • Thai: รังเกียจ (rang-gìiat) — to dislike intensely
  • Turkish: tiksinmek — to dislike intensely