What does despicable mean?
Despicable is an adjective used to describe something—or someone—so shameful or morally repugnant that it merits scorn and contempt. It is one of the strongest terms of moral disapproval available in English: calling an act despicable signals not mere dislike but genuine revulsion at its cruelty, dishonesty, or baseness. Typical contexts include condemning betrayal, exploitation of the vulnerable, cowardly violence, or egregious corruption. The word derives from the Latin despicari, meaning to look down upon, and entered English around the early seventeenth century via Latin roots meaning to look down on. It pairs naturally with intensifiers such as utterly, truly, or absolutely, as in an utterly despicable act. Because of its force, writers reserve despicable for conduct that genuinely warrants condemnation rather than trivial annoyance. Its cultural visibility has grown thanks to the animated film Despicable Me, which playfully reclaimed a term of serious reproach for comic effect while leaving its core sense intact.
adjectiveDeserving hatred, contempt, or scorn; utterly vile or contemptible in behavior or character.
- (of a person or their behaviour) deserving hatred or contempt; vile
"The corrupt official's treatment of refugees was widely condemned as despicable."
"Stealing from a charity is a despicable act."
"He called the fraudster's scheme utterly despicable."
The villain Gru named his whole movie franchise 'Despicable Me' — and turned a word of pure contempt into a brand kids adore.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of despicable
Despicable comes from the Late Latin despicabilis, derived from the verb despicere, meaning to look down upon or despise. This Latin root combines de- (down) with specere (to look), the same root that gives English words like spectator, inspect, and suspect. The adjective entered English in the early seventeenth century alongside its verbal relative despise. Cognates sharing this lineage include despite, disdain (via different but related contempt-roots), and the broader family of words built on specere relating to seeing and regarding.
How despicable is actually used
Strongly negative in connotation and used to express moral condemnation. Common in both formal writing and everyday speech. The adverb 'despicably' exists but is less common.
Easily confused with despicable
Dispensable means able to be done without; despicable means deserving contempt — they merely sound vaguely similar.