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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Historically, political movements die when they become subsumed by paranoid Jew-hatred. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 This isn’t quite like other rivalries, such as the Iron Bowl or Georgia-Georgia Tech, where coaches motivate their players by talking up their hatred of the other team. Seth Emerson, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 How a concert led to the documentary The impetus for the documentary came from an October 2021 concert at the Indiana History Center that raised money for an Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council initiative to educate people about the Holocaust and combat hatred, bigotry and antisemitism. Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 9 Oct. 2025 Like many of Harwicz’s characters, Lisa is a zealot of sorts—and an avatar of the author’s unusual belief in the value and importance of hatred. Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hatred

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hatred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hatred. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hatred

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

More from Merriam-Webster on hatred

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!