When you despise something or someone, it means you really, really don't like them.
You might feel they are not good or important at all.
It's a strong feeling of dislike.
For example, if you despise broccoli, it means you hate it very much.
When you despise something or someone, it means you really, really don't like them. It's a strong feeling of dislike, like when you think something is very bad or not important at all.
For example, if you despise broccoli, it means you hate it a lot and never want to eat it. It's like you look down on it and think it's not good.
When you despise something or someone, it means you have a very strong feeling of dislike and a lack of respect for them.
It suggests that you consider them to be of little to no value, and you might even feel disgust towards them.
For example, you might despise unfairness or someone who consistently acts cruelly.
It's a more intense and often more personal feeling than simply disliking something; it implies a deep-seated contempt.
§ Understanding 'Despise' in Context
The verb 'despise' is a strong word, expressing a profound negative emotion. It's crucial to understand its nuances to use it accurately in your writing and conversation. While it generally means to feel intense dislike, it often carries an additional layer of meaning, suggesting that the object of your contempt is considered inferior, unworthy, or beneath your regard. This makes it more potent than simply 'dislike' or 'hate'.
§ Grammatical Forms of 'Despise'
'Despise' is a regular verb, meaning its past tense and past participle forms are created by adding '-d'.
- Base Form
- despise
- Past Simple
- despised
- Past Participle
- despised
- Present Participle/Gerund
- despising
§ Direct Object: The Most Common Usage
The most straightforward way to use 'despise' is with a direct object. This means the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb directly follows 'despise'. There is typically no preposition needed in this construction.
- **Despise + Noun:**
She truly despises dishonesty in any form.
Many people despise the taste of olives.
- **Despise + Pronoun:**
After the betrayal, she began to despise him.
They despised it when their plans were thwarted.
§ Using 'Despise' with Gerunds
You can also use a gerund (the -ing form of a verb acting as a noun) as the direct object of 'despise'. This allows you to express your contempt for an action or activity.
- **Despise + Gerund:**
He despises being lied to.
They despise having to wait in long queues.
§ Avoiding Prepositions with 'Despise'
Unlike some other verbs of emotion (e.g., 'angry *at*', 'afraid *of*'), 'despise' typically does not take a preposition directly after it when referring to the object of contempt. Using a preposition like 'at' or 'of' after 'despise' is generally incorrect in standard English.
- **Incorrect:** She despises at liars.
- **Correct:** She despises liars.
- **Incorrect:** I despise of his arrogance.
- **Correct:** I despise his arrogance.
The verb itself conveys the direction of the feeling without needing an additional word to link it to its object.
§ 'Despise' in Passive Voice
While less common than the active voice, 'despise' can be used in the passive voice. In this construction, the object of contempt becomes the subject of the sentence.
Hypocrisy is despised by many honest people.
Their old ways were despised by the younger generation.
§ 'Despise' with Clauses (Less Common for B1)
For more advanced users (B2 and above), 'despise' can sometimes introduce a 'that' clause, though this is less frequent than using a direct noun/pronoun or gerund. The 'that' can often be omitted.
I despise that he always complains.
(More commonly, 'I despise his constant complaining.')
§ Nuance and Strength
It's important to remember that 'despise' is a very strong verb. Using it conveys a deep-seated contempt or disgust. Overusing it or using it for mild dislikes can sound unnatural or overly dramatic. Choose 'despise' when you truly want to convey a feeling of looking down on something or someone as utterly unworthy.
In summary, when using 'despise', the key takeaway for B1 learners is to use it directly with the person, thing, or action (as a gerund) that you feel intense dislike or contempt for. Avoid prepositions immediately after the verb.
§ Mistakes People Make with "Despise"
The word "despise" carries a strong emotional weight, and because of this, it's easy to misuse or misinterpret its nuances. Understanding these common pitfalls can help you wield this powerful verb with greater precision and impact.
§ Mistake 1: Underestimating its Intensity
- DEFINITION
- To feel a deep sense of intense dislike, contempt, or disgust for someone or something. It often implies that you look down on the subject as being worthless or beneath consideration.
While I strongly dislike his political views, I don't despise him as a person.
§ Mistake 2: Using it Too Casually or Frequently
Because of its potency, "despise" should be reserved for situations where that extreme level of disdain is truly warranted. Overusing it can diminish its impact, making your language sound melodramatic or insincere. If everything from lukewarm coffee to a minor inconvenience is "despised," the word loses its power to convey genuine, deep-seated contempt when it truly matters.
Incorrect: I despise Mondays. (Unless Mondays have personally wronged you in a profound way, this is likely an overstatement).
Correct: She came to despise the oppressive regime that controlled her country.
§ Mistake 3: Confusing it with "Hate"
"Despise" and "hate" are often used interchangeably, but there's a subtle yet important distinction. While both convey strong negative emotions, "hate" is often characterized by intense hostility, anger, and a desire for harm or misfortune to befall the object of hatred. "Despise," on the other hand, emphasizes contempt and a feeling of superiority. When you despise something, you see it as beneath you, unworthy of respect or even your focused anger.
- Hate: Often active, fueled by anger, potentially wishing ill will.
- Despise: Often dismissive, rooted in contempt, seeing as worthless.
He didn't just hate his rival; he truly despised him, viewing him as utterly incompetent and immoral.
§ Mistake 4: Using it in Formal Contexts Without Care
While "despise" is a strong word, its emotional charge means it can sometimes feel out of place in very formal or academic writing unless used to specifically describe intense emotional states in literature or psychology. In other formal contexts, a more neutral or objective phrasing might be preferred to avoid sounding overly emotional or subjective. For example, in a scientific report, you might "disprove" a theory rather than "despise" it.
By being mindful of these common mistakes, you can use "despise" with greater accuracy and ensure your communication truly reflects the depth and nature of the contempt you intend to convey.
مثالها بر اساس سطح
He utterly despises hypocrisy, always speaking his mind regardless of the consequences.
He really dislikes people who pretend to be good, always saying what he thinks even if it causes problems.
Using 'utterly' intensifies the verb 'despises'.
Many critics despise the artist's later works, finding them derivative and lacking innovation.
A lot of critics really dislike the artist's more recent art, thinking it's copied and not new.
The plural subject 'critics' correctly takes the plural verb 'despise'.
She came to despise the rigid social conventions that dictated women's roles in that era.
She started to hate the strict rules about how women should act during that time.
The phrase 'came to despise' indicates a gradual development of the feeling.
The protagonist despises his rival, believing him to be morally corrupt and entirely untrustworthy.
The main character really dislikes his opponent, thinking he's bad and can't be trusted at all.
'Believing him to be...' provides further explanation for the feeling of despising.
I despise the kind of casual cruelty that people sometimes inflict upon animals.
I really hate the thoughtless meanness that people sometimes show to animals.
Using 'the kind of' clarifies the specific aspect being despised.
Despite his efforts, he couldn't help but despise the deceitful tactics employed by his competitor.
Even though he tried, he couldn't stop himself from hating the tricky methods his rival used.
The phrasal verb 'couldn't help but' emphasizes the involuntary nature of the feeling.
She claims to despise all forms of organized sport, preferring solitary pursuits like hiking.
She says she really dislikes all kinds of team sports, preferring activities like hiking that she does alone.
'All forms of' broadens the scope of what is despised.
The general truly despised the notion of retreat, believing it to be a sign of weakness.
The general truly hated the idea of backing down, thinking it showed a lack of strength.
The noun 'notion' is the direct object of 'despised'.
خانواده کلمه
اسمها
فعلها
صفتها
تمرین در زندگی واقعی
موقعیتهای واقعی
When discussing strong negative feelings towards a person or group.
- I absolutely despise it when people are rude for no reason.
- She despises hypocrisy in any form.
- He has always despised bullies.
When talking about disliking a concept, idea, or behavior.
- Many people despise the idea of working on weekends.
- I despise unfairness.
- He despises the way some politicians manipulate the truth.
When expressing strong aversion to an object, food, or activity.
- I despise the taste of olives.
- She despises doing laundry.
- He despises being stuck in traffic.
In literature or more formal writing to convey intense disdain.
- The hero was said to despise the villain's cruel methods.
- She despises all forms of injustice.
- He despises idle gossip.
When contrasting with things one loves or tolerates to emphasize the strength of the negative feeling.
- While I enjoy most sports, I truly despise golf.
- I love spending time with my family, but I despise family drama.
- She enjoys cooking, but despises doing the dishes afterwards.
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
"What is something you absolutely despise, and why?"
"Have you ever despised a character in a book or movie? Who was it and what did they do?"
"Is there a particular habit or behavior in others that you tend to despise?"
"What's a common misconception or idea that you secretly despise?"
"Can you describe a time you truly despised a situation you were in?"
موضوعات نگارش
Reflect on something you despise. What are the origins of this strong feeling?
Write about a time you witnessed someone else expressing a deep sense of 'despise.' How did it make you feel?
Consider the difference between 'dislike' and 'despise.' When does a dislike cross over into despising something?
Explore a situation where you might have once despised something or someone, but your feelings have since changed. What caused this shift?
In what ways can despising something or someone be a destructive emotion, and how can one manage such feelings?
خودت رو بسنج 24 سوال
I ___ to eat broccoli. It tastes bad.
'Despise' means to strongly dislike something. The sentence shows a strong negative feeling towards broccoli.
She will ___ people who are mean to animals.
To 'despise' someone means to feel strong dislike and contempt for them. Being mean to animals is a reason to feel this way.
My brother does not ___ homework. He always finishes it quickly.
If he finishes homework quickly, he does not have a strong dislike for it. So, 'despise' is the correct opposite of his action.
He told me he ___ lies. He always tells the truth.
If he always tells the truth, it means he has a strong dislike for lies, which is 'despises'.
Many people ___ war because it brings sadness and pain.
War causes sadness and pain, so people would feel a strong dislike or contempt for it, meaning they 'despise' it.
I ___ rude behavior. Please be polite.
Rude behavior is generally disliked. 'Despise' shows a strong dislike for it.
Which word is similar to 'despise'?
'Despise' means to feel a strong dislike, and 'hate' has a similar meaning.
If you despise something, how do you feel about it?
To 'despise' means to have a deep sense of intense dislike.
Which sentence uses 'despise' correctly?
'Despise' is used to express a strong dislike for something negative like rude behavior.
To despise means to love something very much.
To despise means to intensely dislike something, not to love it.
If you despise someone, you think they are good.
If you despise someone, you feel contempt and think they are worthless, not good.
You can despise a bad habit.
You can have a strong dislike or disgust for a bad habit, so it is correct to say you can despise it.
Which of these words has a similar meaning to 'despise'?
To despise someone means to feel a strong dislike or hate for them.
If you despise something, how do you generally feel about it?
The definition states that despising something often implies looking down on it as worthless.
Which sentence best uses the word 'despise'?
This sentence correctly uses 'despise' to express a strong dislike for mornings.
If you despise someone, you probably like spending time with them.
Despising someone means having a deep sense of dislike or contempt, so you would likely not want to spend time with them.
The word 'despise' suggests a very strong negative feeling.
The definition mentions 'intense dislike, contempt, or disgust,' indicating a very strong negative emotion.
You can despise both people and things.
The definition states 'for someone or something,' meaning it can apply to both.
Which of the following emotions is most closely associated with the word 'despise'?
Despise means to feel a deep sense of intense dislike, contempt, or disgust. Contempt perfectly captures this feeling of looking down on someone or something as worthless.
If someone despises a particular type of music, what is their likely reaction when they hear it?
To despise something implies a strong negative reaction. Changing the station or expressing strong disapproval aligns with this intense dislike.
Which of these words is an antonym for 'despise'?
Despise means to have a strong dislike or contempt for something, while admire means to regard with respect or warm approval. They are opposite in meaning.
If you despise someone, it means you have a slight disagreement with them.
Despising someone implies a deep, intense dislike and contempt, much stronger than a slight disagreement.
The word 'despise' suggests that you consider someone or something to be of little or no worth.
The definition of 'despise' explicitly states that it often implies looking down on the subject as being worthless or beneath consideration.
It is common to despise a close friend or family member.
While disagreements can occur, 'despise' signifies an intense, deep-seated dislike and contempt, which is generally not compatible with close relationships like friendship or family.
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