hate
B1Informal to neutral; can be formal in serious contexts (e.g., legal, psychological discourse).
Definition
Meaning
Intense or passionate dislike for someone or something.
A powerful, enduring, and often hostile aversion. Also used informally to express strong dislike or reluctance (e.g., 'I hate to admit it').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Hate" denotes a strong emotional state. In formal registers, alternatives like 'detest', 'abhor', or 'intense aversion' may be preferred. The noun often collocates with crimes, speech, or mail.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning. Spelling and pronunciation differ slightly. The noun is used similarly, e.g., 'hate crime' in both.
Connotations
Equally strong in both. In informal speech, both use 'hate' hyperbolically ('I hate broccoli').
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + hate + object (I hate spiders.)Subject + hate + to-infinitive (I hate to interrupt.)Subject + hate + -ing form (I hate running.)Subject + hate + it when/if clause (I hate it when you do that.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Love-hate relationship”
- “Hate someone's guts”
- “Hate with a passion”
- “Hate to break it to you”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; used informally ('I hate these Monday meetings'). Formal contexts use 'dislike', 'strongly object to'.
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, law (e.g., 'hate speech', 'the psychology of hate').
Everyday
Very common for strong dislikes, often hyperbolic ('I hate this weather').
Technical
Primarily in legal/psychological terminology (e.g., 'hate crime', 'hate group').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I really hate queueing in the rain.
- She hates the way he pronounces 'scone'.
- We hate to see good food go to waste.
American English
- I hate waiting in line at the DMV.
- He hates when people chew with their mouth open.
- They hate to be the bearer of bad news.
adverb
British English
- He stared hatefully at his rival.
- She spoke hatefully about her former friend.
American English
- The protesters shouted hatefully at the officials.
- He glared hatefully across the room.
adjective
British English
- He sent a hateful letter to the council.
- The debate was filled with hateful rhetoric.
American English
- She was shocked by the hateful comments online.
- They launched a campaign against hateful ideology.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I hate cold coffee.
- She hates spiders.
- They hate getting up early.
- I hate it when people are late.
- He started to hate his long commute.
- We hate to admit we were wrong.
- She came to hate the political hypocrisy she witnessed.
- I hate having to be the one to discipline the team.
- The community condemned the hate speech.
- His memoirs betray a deep-seated hate for the regime that imprisoned him.
- The study explored the neurological correlates of hate and aggression.
- Legislation was introduced to combat hate crimes more effectively.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"Hate" rhymes with "gate" - imagine slamming a gate on something you intensely dislike.
Conceptual Metaphor
HATE IS A BURDEN / HEAT / POISON (e.g., 'carrying hate', 'burning with hate', 'filled with venom').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Russian 'ненавидеть' is a direct equivalent for the verb.
- Avoid using Russian 'не любить' (to not love) as it's weaker. Use 'dislike' instead.
- The English noun 'hate' is common, unlike the rarer Russian noun 'ненависть' in casual speech.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'hate' with 'dislike' in formal writing where 'dislike' is more appropriate.
- Incorrect structure: 'I hate you to go' (Correct: 'I hate it when you go' or 'I hate you going').
- Overusing in formal contexts where it sounds too emotional.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST appropriate synonym for 'hate' in a formal report?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'I hate it when...' is a very common and natural structure to express annoyance at a repeated situation.
'Hate' is more common and general. 'Detest' is stronger and more formal, implying a deep, considered disgust.
Rarely in a complete sentence. It usually requires an object (e.g., 'I hate it.'). The phrase 'to hate' can stand alone in context (e.g., 'It is better to love than to hate.').
Yes, 'hatred' is a noun with the same core meaning. It is often used interchangeably with the noun 'hate', though 'hatred' can sound slightly more formal or literary.
Collections
Part of a collection
Emotions and Feelings
A2 · 33 words · Words to describe how you feel.