hateful

adjective

hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
2
: deserving of or arousing hate
hatefully adverb
hatefulness noun

Examples of hateful in a Sentence

the girl's classmates were bullying her online, sending her hateful e-mails and text messages
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.
The booing at the mention of Huizenga’s name was so hateful that an embarrassed Marino had to beg it to stop. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025 That a little rectangle of cardboard and paper and ink is no match for all the hateful rhetoric about books somehow hurting children. Sarah Hoffman and Ian Hoffman, TIME, 10 Mar. 2025 Except for then-Council member Dan Kalb, who suggested some remarks were crazy, not one council member rose to condemn these hateful falsehoods. Mark Cohen, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025 To say that God supports states’ right is a familiar form of religious hypocrisy, where the elasticity of the Gospel accommodates whatever hateful political nonsense is circulating at the time. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hateful

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from hate hate entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hateful was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hateful. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

hateful

adjective
hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
hateful enemies
2
: causing or deserving hate
a hateful crime
hatefully adverb
hatefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hateful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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