detestable

de·test·able
D2E1T1E1S1T1A1B3L1E1
/dɪˈtɛstəbl̩/

adjective

Stimulating disgust or detestation; offensive; shocking.

“detestable food”

Similar
abhorrentobscenerepugnantrepulsiveoffensiveabominableexecrableodious
OriginMiddle French détestable →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

adjectivedetestable (comparative more detestable, superlative most detestable)

comparative more detestable · superlative most detestable

  1. Stimulating disgust or detestation; offensive; shocking.

    detestable food

    3 more examples

    detestable person

    detestable woman

    detestable manners

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveoffensive to the mind

Similar
abhorrentobscenerepugnantrepulsiveoffensive

adjectiveunequivocally detestable

Similar
abominableexecrableodioushateful
Also see
abhorrentabominablebadcriminalexecrablehatefulobsceneodiousoffensiverepugnantrepulsive

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Frenchdétestable
  2. Englishdetestable

From Middle French détestable. By surface analysis, detest + -able.

More words from Middle French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian противен, омразен
  • противен (protiven)stimulating disgust or detestation
  • омразен (omrazen)stimulating disgust or detestation
Catalan detestable
  • detestablestimulating disgust or detestation
Esperanto abomeninda
  • abomenindastimulating disgust or detestation
Finnish inhottava, vastenmielinen
  • inhottavastimulating disgust or detestation
  • vastenmielinenstimulating disgust or detestation
  • kauhistuttavastimulating disgust or detestation
Greek αξιομίσητος
  • αξιομίσητος (axiomísitos)stimulating disgust or detestation
Irish gráiniúil
  • gráiniúilstimulating disgust or detestation
Latin dētestābilis, dīrus
  • dētestābilisstimulating disgust or detestation
  • dīrusstimulating disgust or detestation
Portuguese detestável
  • detestávelstimulating disgust or detestation
Russian мерзкий, омерзительный
  • мерзкий (merzkij)stimulating disgust or detestation
  • омерзительный (omerzitelʹnyj)stimulating disgust or detestation
  • гнусный (gnusnyj)stimulating disgust or detestation
  • отвратительный (otvratitelʹnyj)stimulating disgust or detestation
Spanish detestable
  • detestablestimulating disgust or detestation
Swedish avskyvärd
  • avskyvärdstimulating disgust or detestation
Yiddish פּאַסקודנע
  • פּאַסקודנע (paskudne)stimulating disgust or detestation

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

seatbelted
Cite this entry
APA

detestable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/detestable

MLA

“detestable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/detestable. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “detestable,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/detestable.

Source: detestable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.