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Despise vs Detest - What's the difference?

despise | detest |

As verbs the difference between despise and detest

is that despise is to regard with contempt or scorn while detest is to dislike intensely; to loathe.

despise

English

Verb

(despis)
  • To regard with contempt or scorn.

    • Synonyms

    * scorn * See also *contempt

    Antonyms

    * honor * respect * revere

    Derived terms

    * despisal * despicable

    Related terms

    * despect * despection

    See also

    * vilipend

    External links

    * *

    detest

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To dislike intensely; to loathe.
    • I detest snakes.
    Who dares think one thing, and another tell, / My heart detests him as the gates of hell. — Pope.
  • (obsolete) To witness against; to denounce; to condemn.
    • The heresy of Nestorius was detested in the Eastern churches. — Fuller.
    God hath detested them with his own mouth. — Bale.

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing) . See

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * detestable * detestation

    See also

    * abhor * despise * disdain * dislike * hate * loathe

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    *