dislike

dislike n Dislike, distaste, aversion, disfavor mean the state of mind of one who is not drawn to or turns from or avoids a person or thing; often these terms imply the manifestation of the state of mind.

Dislike normally suggests the finding of something unpleasant or repugnant or of a kind one is unwilling to meet or to face

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an aristocratic disdain and dislike of the bourgeoisie— Inge

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differentiating between mere aversion and dislike and morbid unreasonable fear or dread— Armstrongy

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In itself dislike is rather neutral but it is readily intensified by context to the point of suggesting complete detestation

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I was on fire with the same anger, dislike, and contempt that burned in Hobart towards me— Rose Macaulay

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Distaste, which implies a lack of taste for, usually stresses a squeamishness or a repugnance but allows a good deal of range in intensity to this squeamishness or repugnance; it may imply such other feelings as fear occasioned by the difficulties involved

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a pronounced distaste for mathematics

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or rebellion at constraint or confinement

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for sheer pity of the repressed . . . distaste on Nettie's face, you . . . drove her down to the movies— Mary A us tin

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or simply an unexplained reluctance

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great as was his need of shelter, the Bishop . . . was struck by a reluctance, an extreme distaste for the place— Cather

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Aversion suggests a disinclination for someone or something which manifests itself especially in attempts to avoid, evade, or escape. An aversion may be temperamental or it may be the result of training; it may or may not suggest an accompanying feeling, but it consistently implies a definite reaction on the part of one manifesting it

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he tried to take hold of her feet with his hands, but she shrank from him with aversion— Hudson

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{

unless we can give them an aversion from cruelty, they will not abstain from it— Russell

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the natural human aversion to cold, noise, vibration, . . . and the unfriendly and lonesome environment at high altitude— Armstrong

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Disfavor, the weakest of these words, usually suggests no more than a lack of liking or approval but it may imply contempt, lack of confidence, or disdain as motives

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the proposal met with general disfavor

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the young prince had fallen into open disfavor at court

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Punch . . . eyed the house with disfavor— Kiplingy

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Analogous words: hate, hatred, detestation (see under HATE vb): disapproval, deprecation (see corresponding verbs at DISAPPROVE)

Antonyms: liking

Contrasted words: affection, *attachment, love: *predilection, partiality