abominate

American  

[uh-bom-uh-neyt] / əˈbɒm əˌneɪt /

verb (used with object)

abominated, abominating

1. to regard with intense aversion or loathing; abhor.

   Synonyms:

   execrate, loathe

   Antonyms:

   love, like

2. to dislike strongly.

---

abominate British  

/ əˈbɒmɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to dislike intensely; loathe; detest

---

Related Words

See hate.

Other Word Forms

• abominator
  noun
• self-abominating
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of abominate

First recorded in 1840–50; from Latin abōminātus “loathed,” past participle of abōminārī. See abominable, -ate ¹

Explanation

When you abominate something, you really, really hate it. You might abominate your curfew, or the substitute teacher for your math class. Picture a preacher telling you, "Abominate sin!" Abominate comes from the Latin verb abominari, which comes from ab-, meaning “away from,” and omin, meaning “omen.” You might consider something you abominate — the sound of nails on a chalkboard, for many — to be as thoroughly bad as a bad omen itself. You avoid that sound at all costs, the way some people avoid a black cat crossing the street.

Example Sentences

Abominate, ab-om′in-āt, v.t. to abhor: to detest extremely.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various