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Loathe vs Detest - What's the difference?

loathe | detest |

Detest is a synonym of loathe.



As verbs the difference between loathe and detest

is that loathe is to hate, detest, revile while detest is to dislike intensely; to loathe.

loathe

English

Verb

  • To hate, detest, revile.
  • I loathe scrubbing toilets.
    I absolutely loathe hydrangeas.
  • * Cowley
  • Loathing the honeyed cakes, I Ionged for bread.
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  • Usage notes

    Sometimes confused with the similarly-pronounced (loath), a related adjective.

    Synonyms

    * hate * detest * See also

    Derived terms

    * loathing * loathsome

    See also

    * abhor * despise * detest * dislike * hate * abominate

    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

    See also

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

    Anagrams

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