loathe

[ lohth ]

verb (used with object)

, loathed, loath·ing.

1. to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor:

   I loathe people who spread malicious gossip.

   Synonyms: hate, abominate, detest

   Antonyms: like

loathe

/ ləʊð /

verb

1. tr to feel strong hatred or disgust for

Derived Forms

• ˈloather, noun

Other Words From

• loather noun
• un·loathed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of loathe¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English loth(i)en, lath(i)en, Old English lāthian, derivative of lāth loath

Word History and Origins

Origin of loathe¹

Old English lāthiān, from loath

Example Sentences

Scott and McConnell loathe each other, stemming back to Scott’s tenure atop the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the 2022 midterm cycle.

From Slate

Disaffected Twitter users have flocked to Threads, Zuckerberg’s copycat platform, seemingly forgiving him for a lifetime of social ills in the process, proving that it’s exhausting to loathe multiple tech czars for multiple reasons.

From Slate

I generally loathe semantic debates, but this one matters.

From Salon

The U.S., in the middle of a presidential election, is loathe to take on yet another foreign conflict.

From Los Angeles Times

We know that a large majority of women voters in this country loathe Donald Trump.

From Salon

Related Words

• abhor
• despise
• detest
• hate