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I'm trying to find a word that describes the following type of situation:

Person A already hates Person B. Person A then subsequently searches for reasons to further hate and roast Person B. These attempts may get progressively more and more ridiculous, but Person A continues the attempts.

What would you call this?

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    I would call it obsession.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Mar 15, 2018 at 23:24
  • Certainly an obsessive-type situation, but what type?
    – lori
    Commented Mar 16, 2018 at 1:36
  • It would be hatemonger
    – AMN
    Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 10:25
  • Sounds like confirmation bias to me....en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
    – user57832
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 17:57

2 Answers 2

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What you are describing is the activity of an "internet troll" but in real life. The word "detractor" comes to mind but seems mild, and the ever increasing nature of the scenario seems an important aspect of your question.

The best I could come up with is "hatred", "malevolence", "acrimony", or "antipathy", but perhaps preceded with "unglued", "escalating", "ongoing", "ever-increasing" or something similar. Possibly "unglued acrimony" would work.

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  • Acrimony does seem to be the closest by far. Is there a variation that would mean "acrimony driving into absurdity"?
    – lori
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 15:33
  • Possibly "insane acrimony", "irrational acrimony, "unglued acrimony", "precipitous acrimony" or something similar?
    – user22542
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 15:38
  • Unglued acrimony would do it. If you put that in the answer, I'll choose that.
    – lori
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 16:14
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I would call them prejudiced or biased against the person. Both words carry the meaning of unfair dislike.

From the Oxford dictionary:

Prejudice: Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

Bias: Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair

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  • Hm, prejudice seems close. But does it necessarily mean searching for reasons to hate a person?
    – lori
    Commented Mar 16, 2018 at 16:18

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