abhorrence
Americannoun
-
a feeling of extreme repugnance or aversion; utter loathing; abomination.
- Synonyms:
- detestation, execration
-
something or someone extremely repugnant or loathsome.
noun
-
a feeling of extreme loathing or aversion
-
a person or thing that is loathsome
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of abhorrence
First recorded in 1650–60; abhorr(ent) + -ence
Explanation
Abhorrence is a feeling of hate and disgust. If you have an abhorrence of violence, you probably won't want to watch "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." The Latin ancestor of abhorrence isn't all that different from today's word or its meaning — it comes from abhorrēre, which means "to shrink back from," and it became synonymous with loathing in the early 17th century. Note the similarity to the word horror — a good way to remember the word's meaning. The Polish physicist Joseph Rotblat knew the power of the word when he used it to refer to the "widespread instinctive abhorrence of nuclear weapons.”
Vocabulary lists containing abhorrence
The Book Thief
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Stories of Ourselves
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In recent posts, he said he felt "abhorrence" towards the offences he committed and admitted to, and stated that his sentence would become spent on 16 September.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
The gingery hero of “Bookish” has an abhorrence of murder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
It had everything to do with the public’s interest in the news and the First Amendment’s abhorrence of prior restraints.
From Slate ● May 21, 2024
In general, we can say that police harbor a kind of natural abhorrence of protest because it's disorderly and policing is about the production of social order.
From Salon ● May 14, 2024
He liked to set things up, and had an abhorrence of blundering along without having considered the alternatives well in advance.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
