hateful

adjective

hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl 

1

: full of hate : malicious

2

: deserving of or arousing hate

hatefully

ˈhāt-fə-lē 

adverb

hatefulness noun

Synonyms

• bad [slang]
• bitchy
• catty
• cruel
• despiteful
• malevolent
• malicious
• malign
• malignant
• mean
• nasty
• spiteful
• vicious
• virulent

Examples of hateful in a Sentence

the girl's classmates were bullying her online, sending her hateful e-mails and text messages

Recent Examples on the Web

Beauvais’ comments about fan support are likely in reference to the support she’s received when clashing with her castmates, as well as in season 12, when her teenage son experienced hateful online backlash. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025

This group includes canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oils. Skepticism of the hateful eight stems from the production process of many seed oils, which uses mechanical or chemical treatment. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025

President Trump has no common decency and is a chilling reminder of how Germany’s hateful behavior began and was allowed to grow. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2025

Though the bulletin board has become littered with hateful, violent and extreme content, that original post led to a solution to the sophisticated math problem. —Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from hate hate entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hateful

• ungrateful
• fateful
• grateful

Kids Definition

hateful

adjective

hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl 

1

: full of hate : malicious

hateful enemies

2

: causing or deserving hate

a hateful crime

hatefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

hatefulness noun