as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
the detestable actions of a nasty little man
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Recent Examples of detestable
This all came on the heels of a family tragedy that made my job seem even more detestable and stupid.
—
Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
And many could withhold their votes in November, returning the White House key to the detestable Donald Trump.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
In telling its parable about the problems of wealth concentration so well, Succession was hilarious yet horrifying, small yet large, and relatable yet detestable.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023
If the Russian soldiers were sometimes alarmingly young, the Donbas militiamen looked much too old and out of shape to be at war, and while the Russians were at first cordial, the militiamen made a point of being detestable.
—James Verini Paolo Pellegrin, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for detestable 
Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
And many could withhold their votes in November, returning the White House key to the detestable Donald Trump.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
In telling its parable about the problems of wealth concentration so well, Succession was hilarious yet horrifying, small yet large, and relatable yet detestable.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023
If the Russian soldiers were sometimes alarmingly young, the Donbas militiamen looked much too old and out of shape to be at war, and while the Russians were at first cordial, the militiamen made a point of being detestable.
—James Verini Paolo Pellegrin, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for detestable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detestable
Adjective
-
Alexander Basara and his fiancée, Ally Keller, attended Sunday’s game in Philadelphia, but their experience supporting their team was soured when an Eagles fan, identified as Ryan Caldwell, lashed out at Keller and Basara in a vile tirade.—
Paulina Dedaj,
Fox News,
17 Jan. 2025
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The vile act prompted Hodges to snatch a plastic bottle and hurl it at the suspect, who dodged the drink and then drew a knife, the deli worker said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The trial culminated in the dramatic display of her thong before the jury, paired with descriptions of her as manipulative and immoral.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Growing shares in each party describe those in the other party as more closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent than other Americans.—
NBC News,
NBC News,
22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The secret to finding the best vintage recipes is to seek out the dirtiest pages in a cookbook or recipe card collection, then peek at the creation.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Jan. 2025
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If not changed regularly dirty filters can contribute to poor indoor air quality and even higher energy costs.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The fight has been particularly nasty, with both sides trading harsh accusations against the other.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune Asia,
20 Jan. 2025
-
First Lady Nancy Reagan was upset, thinking her husband was being too nasty.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
And having more thoughtful conversations doesn’t preclude the need sometimes to confront those who are needlessly cruel or organizations that benefit from such exploitation.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
18 Jan. 2025
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In recent months, the Justice Department and the state filed thousands of pages of new records in the lawsuit, including reports and sworn statements from pediatricians, scholars and others who describe Florida’s policies as archaic and cruel.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Fiona Shaw is so perfectly contemptible throughout those scenes on the sailboat, rendering Angelica so completely self-absorbed and so cruel, that her likely death feels like an immediate relief.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
4 Dec. 2024
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Most Europeans find Donald Trump alien and contemptible and a man unsuited for the U.S. presidency.—
David Goodart,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Aug. 2017
Adjective
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The despicable crime perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October 2023 is still very real to all of us.—
Amanda Castro,
Newsweek,
14 Jan. 2025
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But it can be done, bad or good, sensible or despicable.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The roughest angle to imposter syndrome seems to be a potentially vicious cycle that can ensue.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Social media lit up with outrage directed toward Jubilee for giving voice to a vicious troll.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near detestable
Cite this Entry
“Detestable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detestable. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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