abhorrence

IPA/əbˈhɒrəns/
KK[əbhˈɔrəns]IPA/əbˈhɔːrəns/

abhorrence — noun

1. an intense feeling of disgust and hatred towards a person, action, or idea that

1.nounC2
Definition

an intense feeling of disgust and hatred towards a person, action, or idea that seems deeply wrong

Example

Noor felt abhorrence at the videos showing cruelty to stray dogs.

pattern: feel abhorrence at something shocking

The town reacted with abhorrence after officials dumped waste into the river.

pattern: react with abhorrence

Common collocations
  • feel abhorrence
  • express abhorrence
  • abhorrence of cruelty
  • public abhorrence
Synonyms
  • loathing

    close in strength, but slightly less formal than 'abhorrence'

  • revulsion

    emphasizes a sickened reaction more than moral judgment

  • disgust

    the broad everyday word and often weaker in intensity

  • hatred

    focuses on strong hate without always suggesting disgust

Antonyms
  • approval

    shows that you think the person, action, or idea is acceptable or right

  • acceptance

    suggests allowing or tolerating something rather than rejecting it with disgust

Grammar Patterns

feel abhorrence of something

speak of one's abhorrence of something

Usage Note

Usually followed by 'of' when naming what is hated. It often appears in formal writing about cruelty, corruption, violence, or other acts judged morally wrong.

Common Mistakes

I felt abhorrence about the long meeting.
I disliked the long meeting.
'abhorrence' is too strong and formal for ordinary annoyance.
She showed abhorrence to the noise outside.
She expressed abhorrence of the cruelty in the report.
this noun is usually followed by 'of' and is used for things seen as deeply wrong.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Disgust' is the broad everyday word for a strong bad reaction, and it may be physical or moral. 'Hatred' focuses on fierce dislike, but it does not always include the sickened feeling found in 'abhorrence'. 'Loathing' is very close in strength and can be used in speech more easily. 'Revulsion' stresses the feeling of being shocked or sickened and is often sudden. 'Abhorrence' is the most formal of the group and usually points to conduct or ideas seen as deeply wrong, such as torture, bribery, or racist violence. You may feel disgust at rotten food, hatred towards an enemy, revulsion after seeing abuse, but abhorrence of a cruel policy.

abhorrence ↗disgust ↗hatred ↗loathingrevulsion

Common collocations

Nouns

  • abhorrence of cruelty
  • abhorrence of violence
  • public abhorrence

Adverbs

Phrases

  • feel abhorrence of
  • express abhorrence of
  • react with abhorrence

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Built from the verb 'abhor', which comes from Latin 'abhorrere', meaning 'to shrink back from in horror'. English added the noun ending '-ence' to name the feeling itself. The older image is one of recoiling, and in modern English the word usually refers to strong moral disgust or hatred.

First known use

1592

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a