detestable
detestable — adjective
- detestablepositive
- more detestablecomparative
- most detestablesuperlative
1. so extremely unpleasant, cruel, or evil that you feel strong hatred or disgust t
so extremely unpleasant, cruel, or evil that you feel strong hatred or disgust toward the person or thing — for example, finding a political leader's treatment of prisoners detestable, or calling a violent crime a detestable act.
The journalist called the dictator's treatment of political prisoners absolutely detestable.
absolutely + detestable (intensifier collocation)
Mei found the landlord's habit of ignoring safety complaints completely detestable.
find + [something] + detestable (object complement pattern)
The critic argued that the film made a detestable joke out of a national tragedy.
Dmitri walked out of the meeting, saying the proposal was morally detestable.
Their detestable treatment of the elderly shocked the entire neighborhood.
- hateful
more common and less formal; 'hateful' can describe both people and actions, while 'detestable' carries a stronger sense of moral outrage
- abominable
similar intensity but often focuses on the shocking or horrifying nature of something; 'abominable' is slightly more dramatic
- despicable
emphasizes contempt and low moral character; commonly used for acts of betrayal or cruelty
- loathsome
emphasizes physical or visceral disgust rather than moral judgment; 'loathsome' often describes things that make you feel sick
- admirable
describes something worthy of respect and approval, the opposite of causing hatred
- lovable
describes a person or thing that inspires affection rather than disgust
- commendable
focuses on actions worthy of praise, contrasting with actions that provoke hatred
文法句型
detestable + noun
be + detestable
find + [someone/something] + detestable
用法筆記
This word expresses very strong disapproval or hatred. It is stronger than 'bad' or 'unpleasant' and is usually reserved for serious moral judgments, not everyday dislikes (e.g., you would not use it for food you simply do not like). In casual conversation it can sound formal or old-fashioned.