What does detestable mean?
"Detestable" is an adjective describing something that deserves intense dislike, hatred, or moral revulsion. It ranks among the strongest terms of condemnation in everyday English: an action may be called unpleasant, bad, or wrong, but calling it detestable asserts that it arouses genuine loathing. The word typically appears in formal or serious contexts — journalism, legal commentary, ethical argument — where speakers wish to register profound disapproval, as in "a detestable crime" or "detestable living conditions." It is frequently intensified by adverbs such as "utterly," "truly," or "absolutely." The connotation is firmly negative and often carries a moral dimension, implying not mere distaste but judgment that the thing in question is wicked or disgraceful. Derived from the verb "detest," which traces back through Latin roots meaning to bear witness against, the word shares its ancestry with "testify" and related terms. Its usefulness lies in its precision: when milder words fail to capture the depth of one's repugnance, "detestable" supplies exactly the right force.
adjectiveDeserving intense dislike or hatred; utterly abhorrent or repugnant.
- Deserving intense dislike; abhorrent or morally repugnant.
"The report exposed the detestable conditions under which the prisoners were held."
"He was convicted for his role in a truly detestable fraud that ruined hundreds of families."
"She found his treatment of the waitstaff utterly detestable."
"Detestable" and "delectable" differ by a single letter — one describes something you'd savor, the other something you'd condemn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of detestable
"Detestable" derives from the Latin verb "detestari," formed from "de-" (expressing reversal or removal) and "testari" (to testify, from "testis," witness), literally conveying the sense of calling down curses or bearing witness against something. It entered English via Old French in the late Middle Ages, appearing in English texts from around the fifteenth century. Its cognates include the verb "detest" and the noun "detestation," all sharing the same Latin root that also gave English "testify" and "testament."
Related word forms
How detestable is actually used
Formal to neutral in register, common in moral condemnation and serious journalism. It expresses strong disapproval, stronger than "unpleasant" or "nasty," and is often intensified by adverbs such as "utterly" or "absolutely."
Easily confused with detestable
"Delectable" means highly pleasing or delicious, the near-opposite of "detestable," which means deserving of hatred or disgust.