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Verb + preposition

hate with different prepositions

Hate is usually used without a preposition before an object. Some prepositions add specific meanings or are informal.

Quick answer

Common uses of hate

Use hate + noun or hate + -ing most often. Hate on is informal and means criticize unfairly. Hate for and hate about are possible in specific contexts. Hate by and hate in are not standard fixed patterns.

I hate waiting in traffic
People hate on the singer online
She felt hate for her former boss

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
hate + noun/-ing

Express strong dislike

This is the standard structure.

They hate doing paperwork
2
hate on + person

Criticize or attack unfairly

This informal expression is common in social media and spoken English.

Fans hate on the referee after every match
3
hate for + reason/person

Express hatred toward someone or something

For can introduce the target or reason in noun phrases.

He felt hate for corruption
4
hate about + noun

Mention a disliked aspect

About introduces the topic or feature that causes dislike.

What I hate about this app is the advertising

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
hate on
People keep hating on the new design.
informally criticize or mock
hate for
She expressed hate for violence.
hatred toward something
hate about
What do you hate about winter?
disliked aspect or topic
hate by
The phrase hate by someone is not a standard pattern.
nonstandard as a fixed construction

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Adding unnecessary prepositions

Hate usually takes a direct object.

✕ I hate about delays. ✓ I hate delays.

Using hate in as a fixed pattern

In is normally part of a separate place phrase.

✕ They hate in modern life. ✓ They hate modern life.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Many users hate ___ long loading times.
2. People started to hate ___ the actor online.
3. What do you hate ___ this restaurant?

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Frequently asked questions

Is hate on formal English?

No. It is informal and common in online or conversational English.

Can hate be followed directly by a verb?

Yes. Hate is often followed by an -ing form, such as hate waiting.

Is hate by correct?

Not as a normal verb pattern. By may appear in passive structures like hated by many people.

hack-into-by-at-to, in "haggle with" or "haggle for"? "hail from" or "hail as"? hamper by, due, in, for or throughout? "handle by" or "handle in"? hang in, from, over, around or onto? "happen to" or "happen in"? harass by, in, at, for or with? "harm by" or "harm to"? harvest from, in, for, at or by? hasten to, by, from, after or into? haul in, before, by, into or over?

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