hatred

noun

ha·​tred ˈhā-trəd 

1

: extreme dislike or disgust : hate

2

: ill will or resentment that is usually mutual : prejudiced hostility or animosity

old racial prejudices and national hatreds

—Peter Thomson

Synonyms

• abhorrence
• abomination
• detestation
• execration
• hate
• loathing

Examples of hatred in a Sentence

He had an irrational fear and hatred of foreigners.

She makes no attempt to conceal her hatred for her opponents.

This troubled city is filled with hatred, prejudice, crime, and fear.

The war was fueled by hatreds that were centuries old.

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s been really interesting to me about the Blake situation is how much of the hatred against her is coming from women. —Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2025

Thanks to his efforts to take a chain saw to the federal government through DOGE, Elon Musk has attracted a level of ire from left-wing activists that now rivals their level of hatred for President Trump. —The Editors, National Review, 24 Mar. 2025

Parents today must understand that hatred, bigotry and violence aren’t just things that children can learn directly from their upbringing. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025

Everything about the relationship is just plain good TV: Matt’s confidence, Powell’s hubris, the dislike on the surface, and the burning, violent hatred below it. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hatrede, from hate hate entry 1 + -rede, suffix denoting state or quality, going back to Old English -rǣden — more at kindred entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hatred

• self-hatred

Kids Definition

hatred

noun

ha·​tred ˈhā-trəd 

: hate entry 1 sense 1