aversion
Americannoun
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a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, repugnance, or antipathy (usually followed byto ).
a strong aversion to snakes and spiders.
- Synonyms:
- disgust, abhorrence, distaste
- Antonyms:
- predilection
-
a cause or object of dislike; person or thing that causes antipathy.
His pet aversion is guests who are always late.
-
Obsolete. the act of averting; a turning away or preventing.
noun
-
extreme dislike or disinclination; repugnance
-
a person or thing that arouses this
he is my pet aversion
Related Words
Aversion, antipathy, loathing connote strong dislike or detestation. Aversion is an unreasoning desire to avoid that which displeases, annoys, or offends: an aversion to (or toward ) cats. Antipathy is a distaste, dislike, or disgust toward something: an antipathy toward (or for ) braggarts. Loathing connotes a combination of hatred and disgust, or detestation: a loathing for (or toward ) hypocrisy, a criminal.
Etymology
Origin of aversion
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin āversiōn-, stem of āversiō; equivalent to averse + -ion
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.
Her career really began to flourish by the late 1980s and early ‘90s when, despite having an aversion to comedy and initially turning down the role, she starred as Kelly Bundy in “Married...
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026
This has driven a shift away from risky investments as risk aversion has dominated sentiment, he adds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
Until damage can be measured and reasonably assessed, risk aversion should prevail in financial markets.
From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026
For her, private oil firms' aversion to Venezuela is a welcome barrier to that kind of resource grab.
From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026
By “inclination,” he meant his personal aversion to the kind of controversy and policy debate inside the cabinet that Adams seemed to be proposing.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
