detest
To dislike something so much that you cannot bear it.
detest in a sentence
- Mia detests mushrooms so much that she picks out every tiny piece before she will touch her pizza.
- I detest tidying my room, so I always leave it until Mum counts to three.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to detest?
- Ahate
- Badore
- Clove
- Dlike
Show the answer
A: hate. The other three mean the opposite of detest.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to detest?
- Ahate
- Bloathe
- Clove
Show the answer
C: love. The other three mean nearly the same as detest.
Words that mean something similar
hate, loathe
Words that mean the opposite
love, like, adore
More words about emotions & feelings
- discontent: A feeling of being unhappy and not satisfied.
- disdain: A feeling that someone or something is not worth your respect.
- dismay: A shocked, worried feeling when something unpleasant happens.
- distraught: So upset and worried that you can hardly think.
- distress: Great worry, sadness or pain.
- downcast: Sad and low, often looking at the ground.
- dread: A strong fear of something that is going to happen.
- dumbfounded: So amazed that you cannot speak.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test