detestable

[ dih-tes-tuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. deserving to be detested; abominable; hateful.

   Synonyms: vile, odious, loathsome, abhorrent, execrable

detestable

/ dɪˈtɛstəbəl /

adjective

1. being or deserving to be abhorred or detested; abominable; odious

Derived Forms

• deˈtestably, adverb
• deˌtestaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• de·testa·bili·ty de·testa·ble·ness noun
• de·testa·bly adverb
• unde·testa·bili·ty noun
• unde·testa·ble adjective
• unde·testa·ble·ness noun
• unde·testa·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of detestable¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French < Latin dētestābilis, equivalent to dētest ( ārī ) to detest + -ābilis -able

Example Sentences

Most significantly, it overturned a New York minimum wage law in a decision known as Tipaldo, after its detestable protagonist, the owner of a laundry who had been cheating his laundresses of their legal wages.

From Los Angeles Times

Vance is exactly the sort of candidate whom suburban women have, in recent years, found electorally detestable.

From Slate

“He called them all types of names, using derogatory phrases and really describing it as a detestable group and a sinful thing, and I just sort of knew he was talking about me,” Crowley said in an interview.

From Seattle Times

Jabba, in all his hulking space worminess, was far more detestable.

From Salon

Yes, even detestable speech of that kind should remain as free as possible.

From Salon