disgust
Americanverb (used with object)
-
disgusts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
disgusted,
past participle, past
-
disgusting
present participle
noun
-
repugnance caused by something offensive; strong aversion.
He left the room in disgust.
- Synonyms:
- antipathy, detestation, abhorrence
- Antonyms:
- relish
verb
-
to sicken or fill with loathing
-
to offend the moral sense, principles, or taste of
noun
-
a great loathing or distaste aroused by someone or something
-
as a result of disgust
Synonym Usage
See dislike.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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disgustednessnoun
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predisgustnoun
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self-disgustnoun
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quasi-disgustedadjective
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undisgustedadjective
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disgustedlyadverb
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quasi-disgustedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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disgustsimple
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disgustssimple
-
have disgustedperfect
-
has disgustedperfect
-
am disgustingprogressive
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are disgustingprogressive
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is disgustingprogressive
-
have been disgustingperfect progressive
-
has been disgustingperfect progressive
Past
-
disgustedsimple
-
had disgustedperfect
-
was disgustingprogressive
-
were disgustingprogressive
-
had been disgustingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disgust
First recorded in 1590–1600; (for the verb) from Middle French desgouster, from des- dis- 1 + gouster “to taste, relish” (derivative of goust “taste,” from Latin gusta; see also choose); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
Disgust is a strong feeling of dislike. If you can't stand peas, you might wrinkle your nose in disgust when you are served a bowl of pea soup. Disgust is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it's a reaction to something you think is gross or terrible, like showing your disgust at a movie by getting up and leaving. As a verb, disgust means "to offend," like when your class's bad behavior at the assembly disgusts all the teachers, or "to gross out or revolt." If you pick your nose in public, you will disgust everyone around you.
Vocabulary lists containing disgust
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Emotions on Display
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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.
See Examples For:
Galán declined to be interviewed for Carr’s documentary, having been thoroughly raked over the coals once the public’s visceral disgust with “The Swan” got it canceled after its second season.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
While all his experiences up to 2016 were instructive, they couldn’t buffer the shock and disgust of the backlash to his protest.
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2026
Photorealistic renderings of shrimp that resemble life preservers and chicken parts with the texture of dinosaur skin have elicited disgust and nausea, with an undercurrent of existential, eldritch horror.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Many online reacted with disgust to his video, which was reposted on a community page and picked up by local news outlets.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
She smacked her lips in disgust and then pedaled after Juanita.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
She later said: "He knew exactly what he was doing. He stripped all dignity from our loved ones, and for what? Money? He disgusts me."
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Last year’s film kind of disgusts me a little bit when I look at myself,” Thibodeaux said.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 30, 2023
“It saddens me, it disgusts me and disheartens me,” Alvarez said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2023
“It really disgusts me,” said Romain Le Riguer, a 20-year-old literature student, who had spontaneously come to the plaza.
From New York Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
It disgusts me, this effervescent and very public show of—what?
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
"She was saying I made her feel disgusted and ashamed," says Helen.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Vincent was spurred to start the project after feeling "disgusted" at stories of malnutrition affecting primary school pupils in West Earlham, Norwich, with a headteacher reporting children with bowed legs.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
If you’re not disgusted by this devolution in protocol, I’m not sure what can possibly disgust you.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned about a growing parasitic outbreak that causes explosive diarrhea, which has delighted and disgusted the internet, because of course it has.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
Rowdy took one look at himself and was so disgusted with what he saw he scooted under the house.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
In a second post on his official governor of California X account, Newsom shared an article on the comments from the Los Angeles Times saying it was "disgusting and disqualifying".
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Police did a disgusting job of handling this case.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
“It was disgusting, and I looked around and I was like, ‘Wow.’
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
He had previously called the allegations made against him "disgusting".
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Passengers in nearby seats began to clear their throats in disapproval, for the children’s game was noisy and, frankly, disgusting.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
