abominable
abominable — adjective
- abominablepositive
- more abominablecomparative
- most abominablesuperlative
1. so bad or unpleasant that it is hard to tolerate
so bad or unpleasant that it is hard to tolerate
The weather on their camping trip was abominable — cold rain for three straight days.
predicative use: was abominable
Wei opened the cupboard and an abominable smell of rotten eggs filled the kitchen.
The sound at the concert was abominable, and Dmitri could barely hear the singer.
After sitting in abominable traffic for two hours, the bus driver apologised to everyone.
Amara said the meals at the hospital were abominable — always cold and poorly prepared.
- terrible
more common and less intense; used for everyday complaints
- dreadful
slightly old-fashioned; often describes experiences causing fear or suffering
- appalling
emphasises shock at something that should have been much better
- atrocious
often stresses cruelty or savage behaviour, overlapping with sense 2
用法筆記
The most common sense. Applies to any experience, condition, or quality, without moral judgment. Contrast with MORALLY HORRIFIC (sense 2), which always implies evil or cruelty.
常見錯誤
2. so morally wrong or cruel that it causes shock, horror, or deep disgust
so morally wrong or cruel that it causes shock, horror, or deep disgust
The prisoners were kept in abominable conditions, locked in tiny cells without light.
moral sense: abominable conditions = cruel and inhumane
Kwame said the way the company treated its elderly residents was abominable.
The judge described the attack as an abominable act that shocked the whole community.
Santiago read about the abominable experiments performed on patients without their knowledge.
The newspaper printed photographs of the abominable child-labour conditions inside the garment factory.
- detestable
focuses on the hatred the act inspires
- loathsome
emphasises the disgust or revulsion felt
- heinous
more formal; used almost exclusively for serious crimes
- atrocious
stresses extreme cruelty, especially physical violence
用法筆記
Always carries strong moral condemnation. The subject is typically an action or behaviour (crime, treatment, experiment), not a natural event. Distinguish from EXTREMELY BAD (sense 1), which describes mere unpleasantness without moral weight.