despised

/dɪˈspaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · [dɪspˈaɪzd] /dɪˈspaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · [dɪspˈaɪzd] /di-ˈspīz/ (ame, mw)

despised — verb

  • despisedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • despiseds3rd person singular
  • despiseding-ing form
  • despisededpast simple

1. to hate someone or something very strongly and have no respect for them, because

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to hate someone or something very strongly and have no respect for them, because you believe they are worthless, morally bad, or inferior to you.

例句

Lakan despised the corruption he saw in the local government offices.

active transitive: person + despised + abstract concept

Yuki felt despised by her teammates after she missed the winning shot in the final game.

adjective pattern: feel + despised + by [agent]

同義詞
  • loathe

    similar intensity but focuses on disgust or revulsion rather than looking down on someone; 'loathe' often pairs with things (loathe the smell) while 'despise' more often targets people or behaviours

  • detest

    slightly more formal; expresses strong dislike without necessarily implying the moral superiority that 'despise' carries

  • scorn

    focuses on the 'looking down on' aspect; implies open rejection or refusal to take something seriously

  • abhor

    very formal and intense; suggests moral outrage or disgust rather than contempt

反義詞
  • admire

    to look up to someone with respect — the opposite of looking down on them with contempt

  • cherish

    to hold someone or something dear; much warmer and more personal than simply not hating

  • respect

    to have a good opinion of someone based on their qualities or achievements

文法句型

despised + noun/pronoun (active)

be despised + by someone/something (passive)

feel despised (adjective pattern)

用法筆記

Commonly appears in the passive (be despised) or as a past-participle adjective (feel despised, look despised). The active form (someone despised something) describes a past action; the passive/adjective form describes a state of being hated. The word carries a stronger sense of moral judgment than simply hate — it implies the person despising feels superior to the target.

常見錯誤

❌I despised the soup because it was too salty.
✅I hated the soup because it was too salty.
💡despise is too strong for trivial dislikes; use hate or dislike for everyday things.
❌My boss despised me when I was late once.
✅My boss was angry with me when I was late once.
💡despise implies deep, ongoing contempt, not a one-time reaction.