To despiseto feel deep dislike and think a person or thing has no worth someone or something is to feel that they are worthless, inferior, or deserving of contempta belief that someone or something is beneath respect. It is a strong, negative feeling of disrespect or disgusta strong feeling of revulsion or sickened dislike.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /dɪˈspaɪz/
Easy pronunciation: dih-SPYZE (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable.
Verb meaning to look down on with disdain.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Despise Meaning
to feel deep contempt for someone or something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to look down on with disdain
Example: He despises the people he has to work for.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- contemn — Formal literary synonym; same core meaning.
- disdain — A close synonym when used as a verb meaning to regard with scorn.
- scorn — Strong synonym meaning to feel or show contempt for.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Despise Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- contemn
- disdain
- scorn
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing despise with dislike: despise is much stronger and implies contempt, not just not liking someone.
- Using despise for simple criticism or disagreement.
- Treating disdain and scorn as exact everyday substitutes in every context; they are close, but often more formal or literary than despise.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does despise mean?
Despise means to feel deep contempt for someone or something and to look down on them with strong dislike or disrespect.
What are the synonyms of despise?
Strong synonyms include contemn, disdain, and scorn, though these are often more formal or literary than despise.
Is despise a strong word?
Yes. It is much stronger than dislike and usually suggests contempt or total disrespect.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.