1
as in detestation
something or someone that is hated
one of the changes in American society that remains a particular abhorrence of social conservatives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hatred
a very strong dislike
my firm abhorrence of all forms of hypocrisy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abhorrence
One point that has been made is that President Trump, like President Reagan before him, has an abhorrence of nuclear weapons and would like to pursue a policy of denuclearization.
—
David Szondy, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2025
What distinguishes the extreme far-left from the far-right, however, is an abhorrence for meaningless violence, death and terrorism — at least against people, anti-fascists and experts on the movement told USA TODAY.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2025
The reactions from right-of-center publications divide into roughly four camps, aligning on a spectrum ranging from vocal approval to outright abhorrence.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
What distinguishes Michnik is his passion for dialogue, his abhorrence of revenge, and his willingness to find worth in his political adversaries.
—Adam Michnik, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2011
See All Example Sentences for abhorrence
David Szondy, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2025
What distinguishes the extreme far-left from the far-right, however, is an abhorrence for meaningless violence, death and terrorism — at least against people, anti-fascists and experts on the movement told USA TODAY.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2025
The reactions from right-of-center publications divide into roughly four camps, aligning on a spectrum ranging from vocal approval to outright abhorrence.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
What distinguishes Michnik is his passion for dialogue, his abhorrence of revenge, and his willingness to find worth in his political adversaries.
—Adam Michnik, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2011
See All Example Sentences for abhorrence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abhorrence
Noun
-
How Nelson is reformulated from one who feels desire to one who feels detestation (as well as shame for having desired) is the remarkable achievement of both the story and the storyteller and the system that requires it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Between the lines: Many undecideds are painfully trying to balance their sense of obligation with their detestation for Trump, as USA Today first detailed on Thursday.—
Erin Doherty,
Axios,
14 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
What was disturbing were people who sped past a foot away from elderly people, shouting obscenities with faces twisted in hatred.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Këkht Aräkh is not unique in his loneliness; the pain of being alone is as thematically central to DSBM as the hatred of Christianity.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Person after person portrayed Democrats as the enemy trying to drive a wedge between conservatives in an election year, where Republicans want to keep control of Congress and win races up and down the ballot.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Swalwell was among those named by Patel, who has said that his critics are mischaracterizing the appendix by calling it an enemies list.—
Perry Stein The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Fanning the flames of the drama was the mutual antipathy between the couples.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The storyline has been that Apple can’t shoot straight; the antipathy of the Apple-using/hating commentators runs so deep that the critics dredged up the canard that Apple’s done nothing since former CEO Steve Jobs died.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Esmeralda Upton, authorities said, spewed hate and assaulted the women in the parking lot of a Plano restaurant.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
New Yorkers deserve solutions that meaningfully address hate violence — not political theater and half-measures.—
Audrey Sasson,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yes, the opening animation was an abomination, but what followed was almost — almost — enough to make up for it.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Orthodox Jews viewed the pop-up novelty with its mixed troupes as an abomination, but young female actors and singers embraced the emancipatory promise of the stage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This, Wright imagined, was one way Proxi might display its analysis of players’ minds, an aerial map of loves, phobias, triumphs, losses, pets, and near misses plus all the associations connecting them.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
-
In Atlanta, some people living with SAD, as well as social phobia or even simple shyness, are facing their fears in a novel way.—
Hunter Boyce,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This aversion to shooting first and questioning later has cost more than one good cop his life, but this fact seldom gets consideration.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Lithgow — so nimble and charismatic and then suddenly so imposing, with no aversion to the grotesque — knows how to bring out the insecurity that almost always festers at the center of any performatively self-certain action.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abhorrence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abhorrence. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
