dislike

[dis-lahyk]

verb (used with object)

disliked, disliking 

1. to regard with displeasure, antipathy, or aversion.

   I dislike working. I dislike oysters.

noun

1. a feeling of aversion; antipathy.

   a strong dislike for Bach.

   Synonyms: disrelish

dislike

/ dɪsˈlaɪk /

verb

1. (tr) to consider unpleasant or disagreeable

noun

1. a feeling of aversion or antipathy

Other Word Forms

• dislikable adjective
• dislikeable adjective
• predislike noun
• self-dislike noun
• self-disliked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dislike¹

First recorded in 1545–55; dis- ¹ + like ²

Synonym Study

Dislike, disgust, distaste, repugnance imply antipathy toward something. Dislike is a general word, sometimes connoting an inherent or permanent feeling of antipathy for something: to have a dislike for crowds. Disgust connotes a feeling of loathing for what is offensive to the feelings and sensibilities: He felt disgust at seeing such ostentation. Distaste implies a more or less settled dislike: to have distaste for spicy foods, for hard work. Repugnance is a strong feeling of aversion for, and antagonism toward, something: to feel repugnance for (or toward ) low criminals.

Example Sentences

But his moderate vision of Iran strongly differed from the ideas of Islamic hardline revolutionaries and was disliked and even resented by them.

From BBC

“In an era of negative partisanship, people are motivated to vote more by dislike of the other party than by love for their own.”

From Los Angeles Times

Asked last week by the New York Times what it felt like to play "one of the internet's most hated boyfriends", Casalegno replied that he knew fans "tend to dislike him".

From BBC

Many lower-scoring schools have improved their test scores rapidly but they’re still losing students — and not necessarily because parents dislike the school.

From Los Angeles Times

"I just wanted to cry and I feel like I actually disliked my body more than when I was overweight."

From BBC

Related Words

• animosity 
• animus 
• antagonism 
• antipathy 
• aversion 
• disapproval 
• disgust 
• displeasure 
• dissatisfaction 
• distaste 
• enmity 
• hatred 
• hostility 
• loathing 
• prejudice