hateful

adjective

hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
2
: deserving of or arousing hate
hatefully adverb
hatefulness noun

Examples of hateful in a Sentence

the girl's classmates were bullying her online, sending her hateful e-mails and text messages
Recent Examples on the Web Read Next California Five wild burros found illegally shot dead in Death Valley canyon, rangers say July 16, 2023 7:49 AM Read Next National 15 horses shot dead in ‘hateful massacre’. Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024 Allowing pro-Palestinian encampments to remain for weeks on end could set a precedent for future causes that students and administrators find less sympathetic, or even outright hateful, warned Eugene Volokh, a professor in the UCLA School of Law and a 1st Amendment expert. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for hateful 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hateful.' 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, from hate hate entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hateful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hateful

Cite this Entry

“Hateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hateful. Accessed 17 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

hateful

adjective
hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
hateful enemies
2
: causing or deserving hate
a hateful crime
hatefully adverb
hatefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hateful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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