27 Idioms for Hate: Expressions of Intense Dislike

While hate is a complex emotion, language has a way of expressing it through idiomatic expressions that vividly convey these feelings. In this article, we’ll explore idioms for hate—expressions that capture the essence of strong aversion and animosity.

These idioms use simple language to help you understand how people express their intense dislike in everyday conversations.

Hate is like a poisonous snake, its venomous fangs ready to strike and inject negativity into the heart, poisoning one’s thoughts and emotions. For more comparisons to describe hate, you can check this link: Similes for hate. And for a variety of metaphors related to hate, you can explore this link: Metaphors for hate.

What is an Idiom for Hate?

Idioms for hate are phrases or expressions that convey strong feelings of aversion, intense dislike, or hostility towards someone or something.

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1 / 20

What is a simile?

A) A comparison using "like" or "as".

B) A direct comparison without using "like" or "as".

C) An exaggerated statement.

D) A figure of speech that gives human qualities to non-human things.

2 / 20

Identify the simile in the following sentence: “She swims like a fish.”

A) She swims

B) like a fish

C) swims like

D) a fish

3 / 20

What is a metaphor?

A) A comparison that uses "like" or "as".

B) A direct comparison that does not use "like" or "as".

C) An expression that means something other than the literal meanings of its words.

D) A word that sounds like its meaning.

4 / 20

Which of the following is a metaphor?

A) He is as brave as a lion.

B) Her tears were a river flowing down her cheeks.

C) She runs like the wind.

D) He barked orders at his team.

5 / 20

What is an idiom?

A) A literal expression.

B) A comparison using "like" or "as".

C) A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.

D) A direct comparison without using "like" or "as".

6 / 20

What does the idiom “break the ice” mean?

A) To literally break ice.

B) To start a conversation in a social setting.

C) To cool down a situation.

D) To freeze something quickly.

7 / 20

What is an adjective?

A) A word that describes or modifies a noun.

B) A word that shows action.

C) A word that replaces a noun.

D) A word that connects words together.

8 / 20

Choose the adjective in the following sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

A) quick, brown

B) jumps

C) over

D) dog

9 / 20

What is an abbreviation?

A) A shortened form of a word or phrase.

B) A long form of a word.

C) A word used to describe another word.

D) A word used in place of a noun.

10 / 20

What does the abbreviation “e.g.” stand for?

A) End game

B) Exempli gratia (for example)

C) Ergo (therefore)

Estimated guess

11 / 20

What is a verb?

A) A word that describes a noun.

B) A word that indicates action, occurrence, or existence.

C) A word that connects two parts of a sentence.

D) A word that modifies a verb.

12 / 20

Identify the verb in the following sentence: “The cat sleeps on the sofa.”

A) The

B) cat

C) sleeps

D) sofa

13 / 20

“Out of the frying pan into the fire” is an example of:

A) A simile.

B) A metaphor.

C) An idiom.

D) An adjective.

14 / 20

Which of the following is an adjective?

A) Quickly

B) Beautiful

C) Run

D) Under

15 / 20

The abbreviation “NASA” stands for:

A) National Aeronautics and Space Administration

B) North American Space Agency

C) National Association of Space Astronauts

D) None of the above

16 / 20

Choose the metaphor in the following sentence: “Time is a thief.”

A) Time

B) is

C) a thief

D) None of the above

17 / 20

What does the idiom “hit the books” mean?

A) To physically hit books.

B) To start studying.

C) To write a book.

D) To organize books on a shelf.

18 / 20

Which of the following sentences contains a simile?

A) He is a shining star.

B) She danced like there was no tomorrow.

C) Life is a rollercoaster.

D) They moved mountains to be together.

19 / 20

“LOL” is an abbreviation for:

A) Lots Of Love

B) Little Old Lady

C) Long Overdue Library-book

D) Laugh Out Loud

20 / 20

Identify the verb in this sentence: “They whispered secrets into the night.”

A) They

B) secrets

C) whispered

D) night

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These idiomatic expressions often use vivid imagery and comparisons to illustrate the depth of dislike or animosity. Let’s dive into the meanings and usage of these idiomatic expressions, one by one.

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Can’t Stand	To have a strong aversion to someone or something, finding it intolerable.	She can’t stand the sound of nails on a chalkboard; it gives her shivers.
Detest	To intensely dislike or loathe someone or something.	He detests people who are always late; it’s his pet peeve.
Loathe	To feel a strong aversion and disgust towards someone or something.	She loathes the taste of cilantro; it ruins her meal.
Despise	To have a deep-seated hatred and contempt for someone or something.	He despises liars; honesty is very important to him.
Abhor	To regard with extreme repulsion and hatred.	Many people abhor violence and seek peaceful solutions to conflicts.
Dislike Intensely	To have a strong and clear aversion to someone or something.	He dislikes intensely the idea of public speaking; it makes him nervous.
Have a Strong Aversion To	To strongly dislike or have an intense aversion towards something.	She has a strong aversion to horror movies; they give her nightmares.
Feel Repelled By	To feel a strong sense of repulsion or disgust towards someone or something.	He feels repelled by the idea of eating insects; it’s not his cup of tea.
Hold a Grudge Against	To harbor resentment and anger towards someone for a past offense.	She still holds a grudge against him for ruining her birthday party.
Bear a Deep-Seated Hatred For	To carry a profound and long-standing hatred towards someone or something.	The two families bear a deep-seated hatred for each other, dating back generations.
Be At Odds With	To be in conflict or disagreement with someone.	She’s constantly at odds with her neighbor over property boundaries.
Be on Opposite Sides	To have conflicting opinions, goals, or interests.	In the debate, they were on opposite sides, defending their views passionately.
Be At Daggers Drawn	To be in a state of extreme hostility or conflict.	After the heated argument, they were at daggers drawn, not speaking to each other.
Have a Bone to Pick	To have an issue or grievance with someone that needs to be addressed.	She has a bone to pick with her coworker for taking credit for her ideas.
Be At Each Other’s Throats	To be in constant conflict, arguing or fighting with someone.	The siblings were at each other’s throats over who got to use the computer first.
Be Like Oil and Water	To describe two people or things that are fundamentally incompatible.	Their personalities clash; they’re like oil and water.
Be Like Chalk and Cheese	To describe two people or things that are very different from each other.	Despite being siblings, they’re like chalk and cheese in terms of interests and personalities.
Be as Different as Night and Day	To emphasize how two things are completely opposite or dissimilar.	His approach to problem-solving is as different as night and day compared to hers.
Be Like Cats and Dogs	To describe two people who constantly argue or fight, like cats and dogs.	They’re always bickering; it’s like cats and dogs living together.
Be At War With	To be engaged in a prolonged conflict or dispute with someone or something.	The two nations have been at war with each other for decades.
Be Sworn Enemies	To be bitter adversaries with a deep-rooted hatred for each other.	The superhero and the supervillain are sworn enemies, always battling for control.
Be Archenemies	To describe two individuals or groups who are each other’s ultimate and long-standing adversaries.	Batman and the Joker are archenemies in the world of comic books.
Be in Bitter Opposition	To be in strong and hostile disagreement or conflict with someone or something.	The political parties are in bitter opposition, unable to find common ground.
Be on Bad Terms With	To have a strained or unfriendly relationship with someone.	She’s on bad terms with her former boss after a disagreement at work.
Be in a State of Enmity	To be in a state of active hostility or antagonism towards someone or something.	The neighboring tribes have been in a state of enmity for generations.
Be in a Feud With	To be engaged in a prolonged and bitter conflict or dispute with someone.	The families have been in a feud with each other for as long as anyone can remember.
Be in Constant Conflict With	To be regularly involved in disagreements, arguments, or conflicts with someone or something.	He’s in constant conflict with his supervisor over work assignments.

Idioms for Hate

1. Can’t Stand

Meaning: To have a strong aversion to someone or something, finding it intolerable.

In a Sentence: She can’t stand the sound of nails on a chalkboard; it gives her shivers.

2. Detest

Meaning: To intensely dislike or loathe someone or something.

In a Sentence: He detests people who are always late; it’s his pet peeve.

3. Loathe

Meaning: To feel a strong aversion and disgust towards someone or something.

In a Sentence: She loathes the taste of cilantro; it ruins her meal.

4. Despise

Meaning: To have a deep-seated hatred and contempt for someone or something.

In a Sentence: He despises liars; honesty is very important to him.

5. Abhor

Meaning: To regard with extreme repulsion and hatred.

In a Sentence: Many people abhor violence and seek peaceful solutions to conflicts.

6. Dislike Intensely

Meaning: To have a strong and clear aversion to someone or something.

In a Sentence: He dislikes intensely the idea of public speaking; it makes him nervous.

7. Have a Strong Aversion To

Meaning: To strongly dislike or have an intense aversion towards something.

In a Sentence: She has a strong aversion to horror movies; they give her nightmares.

8. Feel Repelled By

Meaning: To feel a strong sense of repulsion or disgust towards someone or something.

In a Sentence: He feels repelled by the idea of eating insects; it’s not his cup of tea.

9. Hold a Grudge Against

Meaning: To harbor resentment and anger towards someone for a past offense.

In a Sentence: She still holds a grudge against him for ruining her birthday party.

10. Bear a Deep-Seated Hatred For

Meaning: To carry a profound and long-standing hatred towards someone or something.

In a Sentence: The two families bear a deep-seated hatred for each other, dating back generations.

11. Be At Odds With

Meaning: To be in conflict or disagreement with someone.

In a Sentence: She’s constantly at odds with her neighbor over property boundaries.

12. Be on Opposite Sides

Meaning: To have conflicting opinions, goals, or interests.

In a Sentence: In the debate, they were on opposite sides, defending their views passionately.

13. Be At Daggers Drawn

Meaning: To be in a state of extreme hostility or conflict.

In a Sentence: After the heated argument, they were at daggers drawn, not speaking to each other.

14. Have a Bone to Pick

Meaning: To have an issue or grievance with someone that needs to be addressed.

In a Sentence: She has a bone to pick with her coworker for taking credit for her ideas.

15. Be At Each Other’s Throats

Meaning: To be in constant conflict, arguing or fighting with someone.

In a Sentence: The siblings were at each other’s throats over who got to use the computer first.

16. Be Like Oil and Water

Meaning: To describe two people or things that are fundamentally incompatible.

In a Sentence: Their personalities clash; they’re like oil and water.

17. Be Like Chalk and Cheese

Meaning: To describe two people or things that are very different from each other.

In a Sentence: Despite being siblings, they’re like chalk and cheese in terms of interests and personalities.

18. Be as Different as Night and Day

Meaning: To emphasize how two things are completely opposite or dissimilar.

In a Sentence: His approach to problem-solving is as different as night and day compared to hers.

19. Be Like Cats and Dogs

Meaning: To describe two people who constantly argue or fight, like cats and dogs.

In a Sentence: They’re always bickering; it’s like cats and dogs living together.

20. Be At War With

Meaning: To be engaged in a prolonged conflict or dispute with someone or something.

In a Sentence: The two nations have been at war with each other for decades.

21. Be Sworn Enemies

Meaning: To be bitter adversaries with a deep-rooted hatred for each other.

In a Sentence: The superhero and the supervillain are sworn enemies, always battling for control.

22. Be Archenemies

Meaning: To describe two individuals or groups who are each other’s ultimate and long-standing adversaries.

In a Sentence: Batman and the Joker are archenemies in the world of comic books.

23. Be in Bitter Opposition

Meaning: To be in strong and hostile disagreement or conflict with someone or something.

In a Sentence: The political parties are in bitter opposition, unable to find common ground.

24. Be on Bad Terms With

Meaning: To have a strained or unfriendly relationship with someone.

In a Sentence: She’s on bad terms with her former boss after a disagreement at work.

25. Be in a State of Enmity

Meaning: To be in a state of active hostility or antagonism towards someone or something.

In a Sentence: The neighboring tribes have been in a state of enmity for generations.

26. Be in a Feud With

Meaning: To be engaged in a prolonged and bitter conflict or dispute with someone.

In a Sentence: The families have been in a feud with each other for as long as anyone can remember.

27. Be in Constant Conflict With

Meaning: To be regularly involved in disagreements, arguments, or conflicts with someone or something.

In a Sentence: He’s in constant conflict with his supervisor over work assignments.

Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article

Here are 10 quiz questions related to the idioms for hate mentioned in the article:

Quiz 1: Can’t Stand

What does it mean if someone “can’t stand” something?
a) They enjoy it immensely.
b) They have a strong aversion to it.
c) They are indifferent towards it.

Quiz 2: Abhor

What does it mean to “abhor” something?
a) To tolerate it.
b) To regard it with extreme repulsion and hatred.
c) To find it amusing.

Quiz 3: Be at Odds With

When are two people “at odds with” each other?
a) When they have a friendly conversation.
b) When they are in conflict or disagreement.
c) When they share similar opinions.

Quiz 4: Have a Bone to Pick

What does it mean when someone says they “have a bone to pick”?
a) They have a pet dog.
b) They want to start an argument.
c) They have an issue or grievance to address.

Quiz 5: Be Like Oil and Water

What does it mean when two things are described as “like oil and water”?
a) They mix well together.
b) They are fundamentally incompatible and don’t get along.
c) They have a similar texture.

Quiz 6: Be Sworn Enemies

Who are “sworn enemies”?
a) Close friends who trust each other.
b) Bitter adversaries with a deep-rooted hatred for each other.
c) Casual acquaintances.

Quiz 7: Be in a Feud With

What does it mean to “be in a feud with” someone?
a) To have a friendly relationship.
b) To be engaged in a prolonged and bitter conflict with them.
c) To support each other.

Quiz 8: Be in Constant Conflict With

When is someone “in constant conflict with” someone or something?
a) When they have peaceful interactions.
b) When they are regularly involved in disagreements or arguments.
c) When they always agree.

Quiz 9: Be on Bad Terms With

What does it mean when someone is “on bad terms with” another person?
a) They are close friends.
b) They have a strained or unfriendly relationship.
c) They are related by blood.

Quiz 10: Feel Repelled By

How does someone feel when they “feel repelled by” something?
a) Attracted and intrigued.
b) Indifferent.
c) A strong sense of repulsion or disgust.

Answers:

b) They have a strong aversion to it.
b) To regard it with extreme repulsion and hatred.
b) When they are in conflict or disagreement.
c) They have an issue or grievance to address.
b) They are fundamentally incompatible and don’t get along.
b) Bitter adversaries with a deep-rooted hatred for each other.
b) To be engaged in a prolonged and bitter conflict with them.
b) When they are regularly involved in disagreements or arguments.
b) They have a strained or unfriendly relationship.
c) A strong sense of repulsion or disgust.

Conclusion

Idioms for hate may use simple language, but they convey complex emotions of intense aversion and hostility. These expressions help us articulate our strong feelings of dislike and animosity towards people, situations, or things.