1
as in curse
a prayer that harm will come to someone
uttered an anathema before driving the would-be robber from the his shop
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2
as in enemy
something or someone that is hated
the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics is anathema to animal-rights activists
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Recent Examples of anathema
After all, the Soviets attempted to control and surveil all foreigners’ movements within the Soviet Union, but such an approach would be anathema in any Western democracy.
—
Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024
That idea would be anathema to most Israelis, of course.
—Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2024
Trump is an unabashed authoritarian, and authoritarianism is anathema to liberty.
—Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024
These things were totally anathema to what my parents’ home country had long represented for me.
—Shirley Nwangwa, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for anathema 
Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024
That idea would be anathema to most Israelis, of course.
—Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2024
Trump is an unabashed authoritarian, and authoritarianism is anathema to liberty.
—Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024
These things were totally anathema to what my parents’ home country had long represented for me.
—Shirley Nwangwa, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for anathema
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anathema
Noun
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Stubborn independence is, however, a blessing and a curse.Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
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However, this long history can be both a blessing and a curse.Mike Whitmire, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This terrifying and occasionally gory tale follows a warrior in an unfamiliar environment forced by a floating gold orb, Puck, to eat many enemies, thus becoming stronger.Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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In a truly unprecedented move, the IAF successfully assassinated Israel’s long-time enemy, veteran Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on September 27, 2024, in an enormous airstrike on Beirut.Paul Iddon, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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There’s no room for hate in Doechii’s comment section.Michelle Lee, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
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While at Montreal, Compulsion gave me a chance to chat about the hate campaign with studio head Provost and general manager Delilah Robinson, who had to make several important decisions in the wake of the hate wave to protect their team and their work.Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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One such attempt to defy Florida’s Jim Crow laws touched off the November 1920 abomination known as the Ocoee massacre, where at least 30 people were killed and countless homes were burned.Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
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In the wake of this moral abomination, the Senate should pass it and President Biden should sign it as one of his last acts in office.The Editors, National Review, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Trump’s antipathy for electric vehicles is likely to create headwinds for EV producers.Greg Iacurci,Lorie Konish, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2024
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At a news conference recently, Powell, the Fed chief, acknowledged public antipathy about lingering inflation and its potential influence at the polls.Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
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However, the Grinch is known for his abhorrence of Christmas and everything the season represents.Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 5 Dec. 2024
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The ambivalence of André and his parents was culturally unexceptional, but Simone’s abhorrence wasn’t.Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Intrigued by shyness, Zimbardo founded the Stanford Shyness Clinic to uncover the roots of anxiety, panic and social phobia.Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024
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But not every introvert has social anxiety disorder, or social phobia.Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2024
Noun
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One of the most memorable chapters epitomizes her detestation for the ultra-wealthy and pompous intellectuals who rushed to rationalize her work.Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024
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Media coverage oscillated wildly between sycophantic applause and puritanical scrutiny - celebrities made to traipse an ephemeral, razor thin line between public adoration and detestation.Colin Scanlon, Redbook, 4 Aug. 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Anathema.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anathema. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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