detestable

adjective

de·​test·​able di-ˈte-stə-bəl How to pronounce detestable (audio)
dē-
: arousing or meriting intense dislike : abominable
detestableness noun
detestably adverb

Examples of detestable in a Sentence

He is a detestable villain. the detestable actions of a nasty little man
Recent Examples on the Web In telling its parable about the problems of wealth concentration so well, Succession was hilarious yet horrifying, small yet large, and relatable yet detestable. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023 If the Russian soldiers were sometimes alarmingly young, the Donbas militiamen looked much too old and out of shape to be at war, and while the Russians were at first cordial, the militiamen made a point of being detestable. James Verini Paolo Pellegrin, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023 Anne Souder’s embodiment of the Chorus was helpless to stave off the detestable fate of Xin Ying’s brooding, brutal and human Medea. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023 And how a beloved author could have been a detestable human. Jessica Ferri, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023 That partially explains the expansion of the detestable chorus from the school itself to its sponsor. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022 Those who find the presence of Fox News on their cable menus detestable should let their cable operators know it. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2023 Top-notch casting is the cherry on top, with Lily James as the supremely likable Cinderella, Richard Madden as her down-to-earth prince, Cate Blanchett as the detestable stepmother with her own imperfect backstory, and Helena Bonham Carter as one lovably flighty fairy godmother. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 27 May 2023 Speeches and translations are detestable. Benjamin Moser, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detestable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of detestable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near detestable

Cite this Entry

“Detestable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detestable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

detestable

adjective
de·​test·​able di-ˈtes-tə-bəl How to pronounce detestable (audio)
: arousing or deserving strong dislike : abominable

More from Merriam-Webster on detestable

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