What does "despise" mean?

1. (to hate or look down on) to feel a strong dislike for someone or something that you think is worthless or bad. 2. (to disregard or ignore) to ignore something or treat it as if it is not important.

Is it correct to say "I am despising people who lie."?

No — say "I despise people who lie.". Despise is a stative verb; it describes a state of mind rather than an action, so it is rarely used in the continuous (-ing) form.

despise

US //dɪˈspaɪz// UK //dɪspˈaɪz// de·spise

1 to hate or look down on (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to feel a strong dislike for someone or something that you think is worthless or bad.

to regard with contempt, scorn, or deep-seated moral disapproval. Transitive — always requires a direct object.

Example

He despised the way the company treated its hardest workers.

Example

She despised the hypocrisy of the politicians who preached austerity while living in luxury at the taxpayers' expense.
Pitfall

I am despising people who lie.

I despise people who lie.

Despise is a stative verb; it describes a state of mind rather than an action, so it is rarely used in the continuous (-ing) form.
2 to disregard or ignore (v.)
C2 Proficiency Literary

to ignore something or treat it as if it is not important.

to treat as negligible or unworthy of attention; to disregard. This sense is less common in modern speech and often carries a literary tone.

Example

The young prince was taught never to despise the advice of his elders.

Example

In his arrogance, the general chose to despise the warnings of his scouts, leading his troops directly into a well-prepared ambush.
- heed
- value

Origin

From Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin dēspicere (“to look down upon, despise, scorn”), from dē (“down”) + speciō (“to look at”). Displaced native Old English forsēon.

Word family

Verbdespise
Adjectivedespicable