# despise

/dɪˈspaɪz/ (US) · /dɪspˈaɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/despise
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to hate or look down on

verb · CEFR B2

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

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

- He despised the way the company treated its hardest workers.
- She despised the hypocrisy of the politicians who preached austerity while living in luxury at the taxpayers' expense.

### 2. to disregard or ignore

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

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

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

- The young prince was taught never to despise the advice of his elders.
- In his arrogance, the general chose to despise the warnings of his scouts, leading his troops directly into a well-prepared ambush.

## Examples

- I despise people who are rude to waiters.
- She despised the noise of the city and moved to the quiet countryside.
- He despised the hypocrisy of politicians who preach honesty while hiding their own scandals from the public eye.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.