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.
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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
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David Tennant is spectacular as always as the rather vile, vengeful Tony Baddingham, a ruthless TV executive with axes to grind.Erik Kain, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
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His vile ways are what made season 6, episode 9's incredible Battle of the Bastards resonate.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Our state and local leaders are the last defense against unconstitutional and immoral federal policies.Murad Awawdeh, New York Daily News, 16 Dec. 2024
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This is perhaps the most immoral aspect of watching members of Congress downplay the impact of melting polar caps or having presidential debates in which the topic of global warming is handled like an afterthought.LZ Granderson, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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From savory breads and rolls for sandwiches and soup-sopping to decadent sweet loaves and rolls for breakfast or dessert, the easy recipes give you a break while your mixer does the dirty work.Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
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The Romans liked to give the appearance of civilized rule by getting local thugs to do their dirty work.N.T. Wright, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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At its simplest, while tracking cookies are a nasty underpin to the internet, they can be seen and controlled, whether by those website popups or electing to use some form of private browsing that blocks such cookies altogether.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
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But the only bacteria raw or pasteurized milk contain are the nasty kind—salmonella, campylobacter and the like, according to the FDA.Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Shahana Goswami plays the lead role of a widow who lands the job of a cop due to life’s cruel twists.Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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In a cruel irony, revelers had gathered to welcome a new beginning.Matthew Continetti, National Review, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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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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Prophecy deepens the audience’s understanding of why these women crave absolute power despite its dangers, and their despicable methods to attain it.Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2024
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Even Martha Washington bore in on the Federalist side, saying that Jefferson was despicable, the most despicable mankind of all.NBC News, NBC News, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That's what's happened in House of the Dragon season 2's vicious civil war, the Dance of the Dragons.David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
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The 2024 adaptation of Nosferatu, the second cinematic remake of the German Expressionist classic, stars horror mainstay Skarsgård (It, Barbarian) as the vicious Count Orlok.Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near detestable
Cite this Entry
“Detestable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detestable. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
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