abhor
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Related Words
See hate.
Other Word Forms
- abhorrer noun
- superabhor verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of abhor
First recorded before 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin abhorrēre “to shrink back from, shudder at,” equivalent to ab- ab- + horrēre “to bristle, tremble”
Explanation
If you abhor something, it gives you a feeling of complete hatred. Chances are you abhor that kid who used to torture the frogs in biology class. Abhor is from Latin abhorrere — "to shrink back in horror." It is the strongest way in English to express hatred, even stronger than loathe. We only use abhor in formal contexts; you might say "I abhor that man," but you would be less likely to say "I abhor spinach" unless you tend to express yourself in highfalutin terms no matter what the occasion.
Vocabulary lists containing abhor
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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Grade 9, List 1
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Romeo and Juliet
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The front-runner, 60-year-old BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, represents the dynastic politics that many educated Bangladeshis abhor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
Briloff would say that markets abhor uncertainty, and less frequent reporting only adds more.
From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025
“I disagree with or even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him isn’t the answer either.”
From Slate • Oct. 31, 2025
Lineker said he had "stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues, and against all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor".
From BBC • May 19, 2025
Lord Darlington came to abhor anti-Semitism; I heard him express his disgust on several separate occasions when confronted with anti-Semitic sentiments.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
