Despise

HATE

It’s the opposite of love and often paired with "dislike" in stronger terms.

"Despise" is a straightforward synonym clue where the answer is simply another word with the same meaning. Here, "hate" fits perfectly because it’s a common, strong verb that matches the intensity of "despise." No wordplay or tricks—just a direct swap between two words that express deep dislike. If you think of how you’d say "I really despise that," you’d likely also say "I really hate that."