detestation

noun

de·​tes·​ta·​tion ˌdē-ˌte-ˈstā-shən How to pronounce detestation (audio)
di-
Synonyms of detestationnext
1
: extreme hatred or dislike : abhorrence, loathing
2
: an object of hatred or contempt

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of detestation in a Sentence

a congenital detestation of injustice, which drove her to become an activist for civil rights the family's pickiest eater is quite vehement in expressing his feelings about boiled cabbage, a particular detestation of his
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Much of Trump’s detestation of the Hollywood establishment is of course performative, one more nemesis to cast in his Sorkinian screenplay. — Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 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

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for detestation

See All Rhymes for detestation

Browse Nearby Words

detestation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detestation. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
number-twelve-balloon
12-Letter Words Quiz A dozen words, a dozen letters each.
See All