hatred

noun

ha·​tred ˈhā-trəd How to pronounce hatred (audio)
1
: extreme dislike or disgust : hate
2
: ill will or resentment that is usually mutual : prejudiced hostility or animosity
old racial prejudices and national hatredsPeter Thomson

Examples of hatred in a Sentence

He had an irrational fear and hatred of foreigners. She makes no attempt to conceal her hatred for her opponents. This troubled city is filled with hatred, prejudice, crime, and fear. The war was fueled by hatreds that were centuries old.
Recent Examples on the Web As virulent antisemitism roils the nation’s college campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, USC is making a rare gesture to recognize the crippling effect of anti-Jewish hatred on society and the human spirit. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 The group’s hatred of the West, including the United States, Britain and Europe, also features prominently in their agenda – as does its enmity toward Russia. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024 The women shared two mutual passions: a love of French books and hatred for Catherine’s husband, Peter. E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, fired the outspoken Braverman after her calls for the need to rein in public Jew hatred. Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 But skeptics say that mutual hatred will scuttle that. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 Stern, a lawyer and scholar who served for twenty-five years as the American Jewish Committee’s in-house expert on antisemitism, had devoted much of his career to highlighting the hatred and intolerance that threatens Jews. Eyal Press, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2024 In Germany, sweeping slurs against women can be punishable as incitement to hatred. Kirsten Grieshaber, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 That experience shaped an intense feeling for materials, partly through a hatred of fur that the job engendered. Randy Kennedy, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hatred.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hatrede, from hate hate entry 1 + -rede, suffix denoting state or quality, going back to Old English -rǣden — more at kindred entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hatred was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near hatred

Cite this Entry

“Hatred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hatred. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hatred

noun
ha·​tred ˈhā-trəd How to pronounce hatred (audio)

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