1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
even within the prison population, pedophiles are regarded as particularly despicable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
the cad's despicable behavior toward women
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
a despicable attempt at making a movie comedy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despicable
While click baiting may be harmless, producing hate and discontent for personal financial gain is despicable.
—
Rochelle Eastman, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Those hugs likely came in handy as the three leads encounter some despicable characters — often suffering injuries themselves over the course of the episodes.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
This is such utterly despicable and dangerous self-dealing.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2025
Nullification is a step toward repeating a despicable event.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despicable
Rochelle Eastman, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Those hugs likely came in handy as the three leads encounter some despicable characters — often suffering injuries themselves over the course of the episodes.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
This is such utterly despicable and dangerous self-dealing.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2025
Nullification is a step toward repeating a despicable event.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despicable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despicable
Adjective
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But the modern Democratic Party, rudderless and confused and reeling from a pitiful collective performance during Tuesday evening's presidential joint address to Congress, now confronts a fork in the road that's no joke.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
My performance was beyond pitiful today, and has been for a while now.—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Oakland Jewish Alliance, a grassroots organization formed in the wake of these vile acts, has reported over 400 incidents of antisemitic graffiti around the Lake Merritt/Lakeshore neighborhoods in a one-year period.—
Mark Cohen,
The Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2025
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After West went on a series of vile antisemitic rants in the fall of 2022, Donda became collateral damage, with families pulling their children out and several teachers leaving.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Michael Gandolfini pops up as a slimy Fisk mayoral staffer who wouldn’t look out of place in this magazine’s recent cover featuring the new young right, and his playing both pathetic and vaguely sympathetic is very fun to watch.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
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How to decide which of these pathetic characters will get his fading masculinity restored?—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
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And then, to top a nasty joke with a nastier one, he was deemed useless for the final twenty years of his life.—
Jackson Arn,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
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Fancy record-cleaning machines like this one from Pro-Ject ($450) use a platter and a vacuum system to physically suck the nasty cleaning solution out of the grooves, with a motor that spins the record in two directions.—
Parker Hall,
WIRED,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Family members and two of his lawyers say he was diagnosed with severe PTSD, a sad and rapid fall that ended in another explosion of violence.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
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Staying true to its sad sierreño roots, Eslabon Armado delivered a 15-songs moody set that navigates different emotions from love, loss, nostalgia, and moving on.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Read: The cost of avoiding microplastics In the mid-1990s, China emerged as the principal destination for used cups, straws, and the like; the country’s growing manufacturing sector was eager to make use of cheap, recycled raw plastic.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
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Seeds are also cheaper than purchasing young plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And so Rose, immortal on the field, with a bat, was judged immoral off it by the saints who guard baseball’s gate.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2025
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The campaign materials were unequivocal: Worley believed LGBT influences in society were immoral.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA TODAY,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despicable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despicable. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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