detestable

[dih-tes-tuh-buhl] / dɪˈtɛs tə bəl /

ADJECTIVE

loathsome, abominable

Synonyms

WEAK

abhorred abhorrent accursed atrocious awful despicable disgusting execrable godawful grody gross hateable hateful heinous horrid lousy low-down maggot monstrous obnoxious odious offensive outrageous repugnant repulsive revolting rotten shocking sorry vile

Antonyms

WEAK

admirable adorable adored cherished likeable loveable prized respectable respected

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Decades of lionizing men like Nile Jarvis have made his detestable personality not just easy to spot, but queasily appealing.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

And how a beloved author could have been a detestable human.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2023

After Charles' execution in 1649, England's Crown Jewels were melted down or sold on the orders of the republican revolutionary Oliver Cromwell as representative of the "detestable rule of kings".

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2023

Would they think that the detestable bugs had started to infest their apartments?

From Slate • Feb. 13, 2023

I have known my share of peculiar, difficult, nervous, grabby people, but I’ve never encountered any genuinely, consistently detestable human beings in all my life.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Vocabulary lists containing detestable

Romeo and Juliet

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