Look-alike words
Loath vs. Loathe
Loath is an adjective meaning unwilling or reluctant: I'm loath to leave. Loathe is a verb meaning to hate strongly: I loathe cold showers. The final E is what makes it a verb.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| loath | adjective | unwilling or reluctant to do something |
| loathe | verb | to hate something or someone very strongly |
Loath
adjective: unwilling or reluctant to do something
- Grace was loath to sell the piano she learned on.
- The team was loath to change a winning game plan.
Loathe
verb: to hate something or someone very strongly
- I loathe the sound of a leaf blower at dawn.
- Leo has loathed mushrooms since he was a kid.
How to remember the difference
Loathe ends in E like the verbs breathe and clothe, and it sounds like them too. Loath, without the E, rhymes with both and means unwilling.
Good to know
The th sounds differ: loath ends like both, while loathe ends like clothe. Loath is usually used after a verb (she was loath to go), not before a noun. The spelling loth is an older, mostly British variant.
Spot the mistake
Kids often
loathloathe doing chores on weekends.Correct: Kids often loathe doing chores on weekends.
I'm
loatheloath to drive in this snow.Correct: I'm loath to drive in this snow.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. Ana is to lend her car to anyone.
Answer: loath. The word means unwilling and comes after is, so the adjective loath fits.
2. Most cats getting a bath.
Answer: loathe. The cats strongly hate something, an action, so the verb loathe fits.