Have you heard someone say, “I’m burning with hate”? It’s a way to describe strong feelings and an idiom! Idioms for hate help us express emotions in a much more colourful and fun way. They can turn complicated feelings into something we can easily understand and talk about.
For example, when people say, “He’s got a chip on his shoulder,” it shows someone’s anger or resentment without saying “hate.”
In this article, we’ll explore 28 idioms for hate, explaining what they mean and how we use them in everyday language. Whether you’ve heard these expressions before or are brand new, understanding idioms for hate helps us communicate our feelings more clearly.
We’ll also give you fun examples to see how these idioms pop up in real life. By the end, you’ll feel like a pro at understanding and using idioms in your conversations!
Are you ready to dive into the world of idioms and discover how we talk about hate in creative ways? Let’s get started and have some fun while learning!
What Is an Idiom for Hate?
An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a different meaning than the individual words. For example, saying you “have a bone to pick” doesn’t mean holding a bone — it means you have an issue to discuss.
When it comes to hate, idioms are a way to describe anger, dislike, or frustration. They’re helpful because they add flavor to what you’re saying. Instead of saying, “I dislike them,” you might say, “I can’t stand the sight of them.”
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Synonyms and Antonyms for Hate
Before we jump into the idioms, let’s warm up with some synonyms for hate. Words like:
- Loathe
- Detest
- Abhor
And for the flip side, here are antonyms for hate:
- Love
- Adore
- Cherish
Now that we have a good foundation, let’s get to the fun part!
28 Idioms for Hate
1. Have a bone to pick with someone
- Meaning: To have a grievance or complaint against someone.
- Example: I have a bone to pick with him for stealing my idea in the meeting.
2. Can’t stand someone/something
- Meaning: To strongly dislike or hate someone or something.
- Example: I can’t stand people who are always late.
3. Rub someone the wrong way
- Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone, leading to dislike.
- Example: His arrogant attitude always rubs me the wrong way.
4. Get on someone’s nerves
- Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone.
- Example: Her constant complaining gets on my nerves.
5. Turn your nose up at something
- Meaning: To reject something because you think it is inferior or not good enough.
- Example: He turned his nose up at my suggestion, which was quite rude.
6. Not my cup of tea
- Meaning: Something you don’t like or enjoy.
- Example: Heavy metal music isn’t my cup of tea.
7. Have it in for someone
- Meaning: To harbor a grudge or hatred toward someone.
- Example: She has had it for her colleague since he got promoted.
8. Hold a grudge
- Meaning: To maintain a feeling of anger or dislike toward someone.
- Example: He’s been holding a grudge against me for years.
9. Put someone’s backup
- Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone, causing them to dislike you.
- Example: His sarcastic remarks always put my back up.
10. Bear a grudge
- Meaning: To continue to feel angry or hostile toward someone.
- Example: She still bears a grudge against him for what he said years ago.
11. Have no love lost between
- Meaning: To mutually dislike or hate each other.
- Example: No love is lost between the two neighbors after their argument.
12. Like oil and water
- Meaning: Two people who dislike each other and don’t get along.
- Example: The new manager and the team are like oil and water.
13. On bad terms
- Meaning: To have a negative relationship with someone.
- Example: They have been on bad terms ever since the dispute over the property.
14. A thorn in someone’s side
- Meaning: Someone or something that is a constant source of irritation.
- Example: The nosy neighbor is a thorn in our side.
15. Bad blood
- Meaning: Feelings of hate or resentment between people.
- Example: There’s bad blood between the brothers after the inheritance issue.
16. Turn a cold shoulder
- Meaning: To intentionally ignore or be unfriendly toward someone.
- Example: After the argument, she turned a cold shoulder to him at the party.
17. At loggerheads
- Meaning: To be in constant disagreement or conflict.
- Example: The two colleagues have been at loggerheads over the project.
18. Hatred knows no bounds
- Meaning: An extreme or limitless feeling of hatred.
- Example: His hatred for his rival knows no bounds.
19. Burn with hatred
- Meaning: To feel an intense hatred for someone or something.
- Example: He burns with hatred every time he sees his ex-boss.
20. Hate someone’s guts
- Meaning: To deeply hate someone.
- Example: She hates his guts for what he did to her family.
21. Stir the pot
- Meaning: To cause trouble or incite hatred between others.
- Example: She loves to stir the pot by spreading gossip.
22. Make someone’s blood boil
- Meaning: To make someone extremely angry or hateful.
- Example: Seeing him makes her blood boil after what he did.
23. Cut to the quick
- Meaning: To deeply hurt someone, often leading to resentment or hate.
- Example: His cruel comments cut her to the quick, and she never forgave him.
24. Chip on your shoulder
- Meaning: To harbor resentment or hatred about something from the past.
- Example: He’s always had a chip on his shoulder about not being promoted.
25. Take a dislike to
- Meaning: To develop a dislike or hatred for someone.
- Example: She took a dislike to him the moment they met.
26. Poison the well
- Meaning: To create hatred or prejudice against someone before they are judged fairly.
- Example: He poisoned the well by spreading lies about her before the meeting.
27. Throw shade
- Meaning: To subtly insult or show dislike for someone.
- Example: She’s always throwing shade at her ex-boyfriend online.
28. Give someone the stink eye
- Meaning: To look at someone with hatred or disapproval.
- Example: The teacher gave him the stink eye for talking during the lecture.
Why Are Idioms Important?
Idioms make our language more prosperous and more expressive. They also tell stories about cultures and histories. For instance, “burning bridges” might make you imagine actual bridges on fire, but it’s about relationships. Isn’t that a fun way to learn?
Using idioms can also make your English sound more natural and fluent. If you’re learning English, start with a few easy ones and practice using them in conversations. You’ll sound like a native speaker in no time!
10-Question Quiz: Test Your Idiom Knowledge!
Ready for a little challenge? Let’s see how many idioms you remember from this list.
1: What does “rub someone the wrong way” mean?
2: Which idiom means “to ignore someone deliberately”?
3: If two people are “at each other’s throats,” what are they doing?
4: What does “add fuel to the fire” mean?
5: Which idiom is about destroying relationships?
6: What does “drive up the wall” mean?
7: Which idiom means “to hold a grudge”?
8: What does “get under one’s skin” mean?
9: Which idiom describes extreme dislike for someone?
10: What does “burning bridges” mean?
Answers:
1. Rub someone the wrong way – To annoy or irritate someone.
2. Ignore someone deliberately – The idiom is “give someone the cold shoulder.”
3. At each other’s throats – They argue or fight intensely.
4. Add fuel to the fire – To make a bad situation worse.
5. Destroying relationships – The idiom is “burning bridges.”
6. Drive up the wall – To make someone extraordinarily annoyed or irritated.
7. Hold a grudge – The idiom is “harbor ill feelings” or “carry a chip on one’s shoulder.”
8. Get under one’s skin – To intensely annoy or irritate someone.
9. Extreme dislike for someone – The idiom is “can’t stand someone.”
10. Burning bridges – To destroy relationships, often in a way that makes reconciliation impossible.
Final Thoughts on Idioms for Hate
Talking about strong feelings like hate can be tricky, but idioms for hate help us express those emotions more creatively. While researching these idioms, I realized how powerful language can be in turning difficult feelings into phrases everyone can understand.
For example, when someone says He’s been holding a grudge, it instantly paints a picture of someone not letting go of their anger, making it easier for us to relate to and talk about.
Idioms for hate also remind us how language can shape how we feel and interact with others. They give us a fun way to express emotions that might feel uncomfortable or hard to explain.
Whether you’re using “rubbing salt in the wound” or “having a bone to pick,” these phrases help us get the point across without sounding too serious.
This article helped you discover new ways to understand and talk about hate through idioms.
Next time you hear someone use one, you’ll better understand what it means. These idioms make our language richer and more interesting, and now you’re ready to use them in your conversations!
