1
as in hatred
a very strong dislike
a congenital detestation of injustice, which drove her to become an activist for civil rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enemy
something or someone that is hated
the family's pickiest eater is quite vehement in expressing his feelings about boiled cabbage, a particular detestation of his
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detestation
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
Media coverage oscillated wildly between sycophantic applause and puritanical scrutiny - celebrities made to traipse an ephemeral, razor thin line between public adoration and detestation.
—Colin Scanlon, Redbook, 4 Aug. 2023
That was the level of detestation and dedication to overturning Roe.
—Tara Kole, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 July 2022
Others balance their detestation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine against other concerns.
—Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 21 Mar. 2022
Here all the liturgical phrases of the 19th-century religion of progress, which had seemed hollow and platitudinous to a young man growing up in America in detestation of the Sunday supplements, rang true.
—John Dos Passos, National Review, 28 Sep. 2020
Germany has set aside its traditional detestation for debt to unleash emergency spending, while enabling the rest of the European Union to breach limits on deficits.
—Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020
But how much of a life, free of troubles and self-detestation, can a 15-year-old boy concerned with raising an infant build before his sense of self is devoured?
—Darcel Rockett, chicagotribune.com, 3 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detestation
Noun
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Some viewers will know Rapaport from his decadeslong acting career but also that one very irritating season of Justified; others will know him for his anti-Palestinian rants and hatred of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.—
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This is not to say that rape can be separated from the hatred of women, just that, in certain situations, the role of the victim can be violently reassigned.—
Noun
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When integrated into multiple systems, the Tactical Edge Electromagnetic Solutions (TEEMS) can jam enemy systems with speed and precision.—
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Netanyahu said the country would continue trying to bring home the bodies of Israelis still being held across enemy lines, such as Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy hung in Damascus in 1965.—
Noun
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These findings echo a broader pattern political scientists call affective polarization: the replacement of disagreement with abhorrence.—
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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.—
Noun
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The antipathy toward Scherzer stemmed less from his years of excellence as a Dodgers opponent and more from his brief stint on the team in 2021.—
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Rather than attracting qualified applicants who want to serve in federal law enforcement, ICE may be appealing to people with antipathy toward immigrants, or who see themselves as helping defend the U.S. from demographic changes.—
Noun
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My generation deserves better leaders than the ones teaching us that bigotry is bravery and hate is just a joke.—
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What Marissa does doesn’t come from hate.—
Noun
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Democrats’ affinity for wolves increased, as did Republicans’ aversion.—
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His daughter, Klontz’ mother, carried some of that risk aversion into her life, investing only in certificates of deposit, or CDs.—
Noun
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For people with shark phobias—likely traumatized by movies like Jaws—such advances could help make getting in the water a little easier.—
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Watch Cyrus talk about her paper phobia above.—
Noun
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
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But when asked why similar actions in Iraq were an abomination, the president punted.—
Cite this Entry
“Detestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detestation. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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