loathe
verb
transitive verb
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Loath vs. Loathe
Many usage commentators point out that the spelling of loath the adjective is distinct from loathe, the verb that means "to dislike greatly." Merriam-Webster dictionaries record loathe (along with loth) as a variant spelling for the adjective, at the same time indicating that the spelling with an e is not as common as the form without it. Both words hark back to Old English, and the e ending in each has come and gone over the centuries - but if you want to avoid the ire of those who like to keep the language tidy, stick with loath for the adjective and loathe for the verb.
Synonyms
- abhor
- abominate
- despise
- detest
- execrate
- hate
Example Sentences
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. See More Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2022 Some like jamming out to it; others absolutely loathe it. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2022 Love it or loathe it, money is an important part of society. Bernard Marr, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2022 Ditto the progressives who love her heroism but loathe her policies. Jodi Enda, CNN, 13 Aug. 2022 Love them or loathe them, rental escooters have flooded the world’s largest cities. Wired, 8 July 2022 Love it or loathe it, at some point most children will get wriggled into ballet tights or tap shoes and sent into a room with the music and the mirror to work off some energy, make friends and learn to take direction. Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2022 Millions are implacably in one camp or the other – love him or loathe him. Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2022 Love it or loathe it, there’s a reason Eat, Pray, Love struck a chord with so many. Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Nov. 2021 See More Word History
Middle English lothen, from Old English lāthian to dislike, be hateful, from lāth
12th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
loathe
verb
loathe
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- hate
- detest
- abhor
- despise
- abominate
- disdain
- have it in for
- execrate
- deplore
- disapprove (of)
- scorn
- deprecate
- discountenance
- disfavor
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- love
- prefer
- like
- desire
- enjoy
- favor
- fancy
- relish
- admire
- adore
- approve (of)
- worship
- revere
- cherish
- treasure
- esteem
- idolize
- prize
- venerate
- hallow
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of loathe are abhor, abominate, detest, and hate. While all these words mean "to feel strong aversion or intense dislike for," loathe implies utter disgust and intolerance.
While in some cases nearly identical to loathe, abhor implies a deep often shuddering repugnance.
In some situations, the words abominate and loathe are roughly equivalent. However, abominate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation.
The words detest and loathe can be used in similar contexts, but detest suggests violent antipathy.
The meanings of hate and loathe largely overlap; however, hate implies an emotional aversion often coupled with enmity or malice.