abhorrent

adjective

ab·​hor·​rent əb-ˈhȯr-ənt 

-ˈhär-,

ab-

1

: causing or deserving strong dislike or hatred : being so repugnant as to stir up positive antagonism

acts abhorrent to every right-minded person

2

: not agreeable : contrary

a notion abhorrent to their philosophy

3

a

: feeling or showing strong dislike or hatred

b

archaic : strongly opposed

abhorrently adverb

Synonyms

• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• disgusting
• distasteful
• dreadful
• evil
• foul
• fulsome
• gross
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• loathsome
• nasty
• nauseating
• nauseous
• noisome
• noxious
• obnoxious
• obscene
• odious
• offensive
• rancid
• repellent
• repellant
• repugnant
• repulsive
• revolting
• scandalous
• shocking
• sickening
• ugly

Examples of abhorrent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These abhorrent behaviors and actions are the standard modus operandi for the head of the Republican party. —Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025

My family attended an evangelical church that believed in Hell in a way that would have been intelligible, if abhorrent, to the medieval Catholic Dante. —Elisa Gonzalez, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025

This abhorrent gesture has no place in our society and belongs in the darkest chapters of human history. —Flynn Nicholls, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025

But many 12-step followers consider taking drugs in order to heal drug addiction to be abhorrent. —Jan Hoffman, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin abhorrent-, abhorrens, present participle of abhorrēre "to abhor"

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Kids Definition

abhorrent

adjective

ab·​hor·​rent əb-ˈhȯr-ənt 

-ˈhär-,

ab-

1

: causing or deserving strong dislike

2

: not agreeable : contrary

a notion abhorrent to their beliefs

abhorrently adverb