adj.
- Eliciting or deserving hatred.
- Feeling or showing hatred; malevolent.
hatefulness hate'ful·ness n.
SYNONYMS hateful, detestable, odious, offensive, repellent. These often interchangeable adjectives describe what elicits or deserves strong dislike, distaste, or revulsion. Hateful refers to what evokes hatred or deep animosity: "No vice is universally as hateful as ingratitude" (Joseph Priestley). Detestable applies to what arouses abhorrence or scorn: detestable crimes against humanity. Something odious is the object of disgust, aversion, or intense displeasure: "a kind of slimy stuff ... of a most nauseous, odious smell" (Daniel Defoe). Offensive applies to what offends or excites displeasure: an offensive suggestion. Something repellent arouses repugnance or disgust: repellent criminal behavior.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
