despicable

[ des-pi-kuh-buhl, dih-spik-uh- ]

adjective

1. deserving to be despised, or regarded with distaste, disgust, or disdain; contemptible:

   He was a mean, despicable man, who treated his wife and children badly.

   Synonyms: detestable, mean, vile

   Antonyms: admirable

despicable

/ dɪˈspɪkəbəl; ˈdɛspɪk- /

adjective

1. worthy of being despised; contemptible; mean

Derived Forms

• deˈspicably, adverb
• deˌspicaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• despi·ca·bili·ty despi·ca·ble·ness noun
• despi·ca·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of despicable¹

1545–55; < Late Latin dēspicābilis, equivalent to Latin dēspic ( ārī ) to despise or dēspic ( ere ) to look down ( dē- de- + -spic- look, combining form of specere ) + -ābilis -able

Word History and Origins

Origin of despicable¹

C16: from Late Latin dēspicābilis, from dēspicārī to disdain; compare despise

Example Sentences

“If we’d had any inkling about his hidden and despicable activity he would never have been hired, and the instant we learned of it he was fired,” a spokesperson said.

From Salon

Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, from Gwent Police, said Stringer was "dismissed from our services due to his sickening actions" and "despicable crimes".

From BBC

But I don’t understand why anyone would rate them worse than Trump’s despicable character and reward him with a second term as our president.

From Los Angeles Times

Chief Justice Roberts was already the author of one of the most ignorant, upside-down and despicable lines in any Supreme Court decision since Dred Scott.

From Salon

As Japanese officials demanded answers for the “despicable” crime, Beijing sought to play it down, heavily censoring discussion of the incident online and calling it an “accidental, individual case” and an “isolated incident”.

From BBC

Related Words

• contemptible
• degrading
• disgraceful
• disreputable
• loathsome
• reprehensible
• shameful
• vile
• wretched