abhorrence

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UK/əbˈhɒɹ.n̩(t)s/US/æbˈhɔɹ.n̩(t)s/US/æbˈhɑɹ.n̩(t)s/

noun

Extreme aversion or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike or loathing; a visceral revulsion toward something repugnant.

UncommonFirst used Mid 17ᵗʰ century.Scrabble 17Word of the Day · Mar 25, 2025

Meanings

nounabhorrence (countable and uncountable, plural abhorrences)

plural abhorrences

  1. countableuncountableExtreme aversion or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike or loathing; a visceral revulsion toward something repugnant.First known use Mid 17ᵗʰ century.

    My abhorrence of this fiend cannot be conceived.

    1818, Mary Shelley, chapter 9, in Frankenstein, archived from the original on 03 Apr 2012
    1 more example

    The recognition of what pollutes evidently reflects deep-seated abhorrences, whose cause and origin are difficult to discover.

    2018, Dr. Philip J. Budd, David Allen Hubbard, Glenn W. Barker, Numbers, volume 5, page 55
  2. countablehistoricalobsoleteAn expression of abhorrence, in particular any of the parliamentary addresses dictated towards Charles II.First known use Late 17ᵗʰ century.
  3. countableA person or thing that is loathsome; a detested thing.First known use Mid 18ᵗʰ century.

    All of them are תובעות abhorrences or abominations, although “adultery and bestiality” are branded as “unclean” (אמט) activities. Because “homosexuality” is classified as one of the “abhorrences,” Milgrom believes the practice was “widespread."

    2022, Sabine Dievenkorn, Shaul Levin, [Re]Gained in Translation I: Bibles, Theologies, and the Politics of Empowerment, page 276

Synonyms & antonyms

nounhate coupled with disgust

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Bulgarian отвращение
  • отвращение (otvraštenie)extreme aversion
Czech odpor, nenávist
  • odporextreme aversion
  • nenávistextreme aversion
  • odpornostloathsome person or thing
Danish afsky
  • afskyextreme aversion
Dutch afkeer, afschuw
  • afkeerextreme aversion
  • afschuwextreme aversion
  • afgrijzenextreme aversion
  • gruwelloathsome person or thing
  • afgrijselijke zaakloathsome person or thing
Esperanto abomeno, malamego
  • abomenoextreme aversion
  • malamegoextreme aversion
Finnish inho, kammo
  • inhoextreme aversion
  • kammoextreme aversion
  • iljetysloathsome person or thing
French aversion, répulsion
  • aversionextreme aversion
  • répulsionextreme aversion
  • horreurextreme aversion
German Abscheu, Ekel
  • Abscheuextreme aversion
  • Ekelextreme aversion
  • Ekelloathsome person or thing
Greek απέχθεια
  • απέχθεια (apéchtheia)extreme aversion
Hungarian undor
  • undorextreme aversion
Irish fuath
  • fuathextreme aversion
Persian انزجار, بیزاری
  • انزجار (enzejâr)extreme aversion
  • بیزاری (bizâri)extreme aversion
Polish odraza
  • odrazaextreme aversion
Portuguese aversão, horror
  • aversãoextreme aversion
  • horrorextreme aversion
  • repugnânciaextreme aversion
Romanian abhorare, aversiune
  • abhorareextreme aversion
  • aversiuneextreme aversion
  • repugnanțăextreme aversion
Russian отвраще́ние, омерзе́ние
  • отвраще́ние (otvraščénije)extreme aversion
  • омерзе́ние (omerzénije)extreme aversion
Spanish aborrecimiento, odio
  • aborrecimientoextreme aversion
  • odioextreme aversion
  • repugnanciaextreme aversion
Swedish avsky, styggelse
  • avskyextreme aversion
  • styggelseloathsome person or thing
Turkish iğrenme, tiksinme
  • iğrenmeextreme aversion
  • tiksinmeextreme aversion
Ukrainian відра́за
  • відра́за (vidráza)extreme aversion
Cite this entry
APA

abhorrence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abhorrence

MLA

“abhorrence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abhorrence. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abhorrence,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abhorrence.

Source: abhorrence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.