abhorrence

American  

[ab-hawr-uhns, -hor-] / æbˈhɔr əns, -ˈhɒr- /

noun

1. a feeling of extreme repugnance or aversion; utter loathing; abomination.

   Synonyms:

   detestation, execration

2. something or someone extremely repugnant or loathsome.

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abhorrence British  

/ əbˈhɒrəns /

noun

1. a feeling of extreme loathing or aversion

2. a person or thing that is loathsome

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Other Word Forms

• self-abhorrence noun

Etymology

Origin of abhorrence

First recorded in 1650–60; abhorr(ent) + -ence

Example Sentences

She spat a word with such disdain, such loathing, such complete abhorrence, that, dear reader, even I flinched: “Greg.”

From Literature

The gingery hero of “Bookish” has an abhorrence of murder.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

The consultation which led to its introduction was supported, for example, by the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities which said that it enabled "society to signal its abhorrence of prejudice and hatred against identifiable groups."

From BBC

The vote confounded critics of O'Connor, who had previously expressed her personal abhorrence of abortion.

From BBC