dislike

dislike — verb

1. to feel that someone or something is unpleasant or unenjoyable, so that you pref

1.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to feel that someone or something is unpleasant or unenjoyable, so that you prefer to avoid them or keep away from that experience.

Example

Zayd dislikes getting up early on weekends when he could sleep in.

dislike + gerund for habitual aversion

Many people dislike the taste of bitter vegetables like kale.

Common collocations
  • dislike intensely
  • dislike strongly
  • dislike the idea of
  • come to dislike
Synonyms
  • hate

    much stronger emotion — stronger than dislike

  • detest

    more formal and intense — implies strong moral disapproval

  • can't stand

    informal — expresses very strong irritation or inability to tolerate

Antonyms
  • like

    opposite in all contexts

  • enjoy

    opposite when referring to activities or experiences

Grammar Patterns

dislike + noun phrase

dislike + gerund

dislike + it + when-clause

Usage Note

This sense is only transitive — you always dislike someone/something. Use 'dislike' + gerund for activities or habits you find unpleasant, and 'dislike it when' + clause for situations you wish to avoid.

Common Mistakes

I dislike to wake up early.
I dislike waking up early.
Unlike 'hate', 'dislike' is followed by a gerund, not a to-infinitive.

dislike — noun

Word family

  • disliked
    adjectiveB2
  • dislikable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four express a negative feeling toward someone or something, but they differ in strength and register. 'Dislike' is the most neutral and polite — you can dislike a food, a person, or an activity without sounding dramatic. 'Hate' is much stronger and more emotional; saying 'I hate broccoli' is common in casual speech but sounds intense. 'Detest' is formal and very strong, often implying moral disapproval rather than just personal taste. 'Can't stand' is informal and expresses irritation or inability to tolerate something. For example, you might dislike the cold weather but still go outside, while if you can't stand the cold, you would refuse to leave the house entirely.

dislike ↗hate ↗detest ↗can't stand

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • likes and dislikes
  • take a dislike to
  • grow to dislike

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'dislike' was formed in Middle English by adding the prefix 'dis-' (which reverses or removes the meaning) to the verb 'like', which comes from Old English 'līcian' meaning 'to please' or 'to be pleasing'. So the original sense was literally 'to un-like' or 'to not please'. The noun form appeared around the same period, referring to the feeling of being displeased.