despised; despising
1
: to look down on with disrespect or aversion
despised the weak
2
: to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful
despises organized religion
Examples of despise in a Sentence
He and Julie grooved to Cuban son and jazz on NPR and loved arty films, for instance; and they distrusted big business and despised tract houses, malls, and other aesthetically unpleasing byproducts of a consumer society.
—
Brian C. Anderson, National Review, 13 Mar. 2006
She was despised as a hypocrite.
I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!
Brian C. Anderson, National Review, 13 Mar. 2006
She was despised as a hypocrite.
I despise anchovies on pizza, and I refuse to eat them!
Recent Examples on the Web
Lucy and Joshua are colleagues and nemeses who despise each other with an unbridled, glorious intensity that makes their flip-flop from enemies to lovers all the more delicious.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 17 Aug. 2024
Replacing the moribund Biden campaign with Kamala Harris—even if Harris might not have been Pelosi’s first choice—could end up saving the 2024 Presidential election for the Democrats, and keeping Trump, a man whom Pelosi clearly despises, out of the White House.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2024
The women from Kirov, just over 500 miles east of Moscow, embody virtuous traditional values, despise the West and serve Russia.
—Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
One example is Diego, who starts Season 4 at a stagnant place in his life, begrudgingly fulfilling his responsibilities as an overworked family man who despises his job as a delivery man.
—Stacy Lambe, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for despise 
Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 17 Aug. 2024
Replacing the moribund Biden campaign with Kamala Harris—even if Harris might not have been Pelosi’s first choice—could end up saving the 2024 Presidential election for the Democrats, and keeping Trump, a man whom Pelosi clearly despises, out of the White House.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2024
The women from Kirov, just over 500 miles east of Moscow, embody virtuous traditional values, despise the West and serve Russia.
—Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
One example is Diego, who starts Season 4 at a stagnant place in his life, begrudgingly fulfilling his responsibilities as an overworked family man who despises his job as a delivery man.
—Stacy Lambe, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for despise
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'despise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near despise
Cite this Entry
“Despise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despise. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
despise
verb
de·spise
di-ˈspīz 
despised; despising
: to consider as beneath one's notice or respect : feel scorn and dislike for
despiser
noun
despisingly
adverb
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