1
as in disgust
a dislike so strong as to cause stomach upset or queasiness
I simply have this ingrained aversion to the sight of bloodshed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dislike
a strong feeling of not liking or approving
couldn't overcome her aversion to her brother-in-law and pointedly avoided his company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in phobia
something or someone that is hated
clichés should be the pet aversion of every good writer
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 aversion
Among the elite players of the last two decades, Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams stand out for their complete aversion to damaging rackets.
—
James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
And those negative experiences can reinforce an aversion to water.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2026
Later, McCartney goes to the heart of the matter with an astute assessment of a value bred into him in Liverpool, a working-class aversion to being the boss.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
The White House budget chief’s reported aversion to seeing the deficit widen further on the back of a bigger military bill highlights a phenomenon observed by historian Niall Ferguson, who has said any great power that spends more on debt servicing than on defense risks ceasing to be a great power.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aversion
James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
And those negative experiences can reinforce an aversion to water.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2026
Later, McCartney goes to the heart of the matter with an astute assessment of a value bred into him in Liverpool, a working-class aversion to being the boss.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
The White House budget chief’s reported aversion to seeing the deficit widen further on the back of a bigger military bill highlights a phenomenon observed by historian Niall Ferguson, who has said any great power that spends more on debt servicing than on defense risks ceasing to be a great power.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aversion
Noun
-
Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In the days and weeks following the Hamas massacre of innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023, students and colleagues alike in his academic community posted fiery condemnations of and expressions of moral disgust toward … Israel.—
Jesse Brown,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At the jail in the Dade County Courthouse, Zangara confessed and expounded on his dislike for heads of state.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Mitch Prinstein, who researches technology and brain development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says teens shouldn't be getting notifications or at least not as many notifications of likes, or dislikes.—
Carmel Wroth,
NPR,
27 Mar. 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
-
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
-
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
-
Some of the Kennedys and others featured on the show have been vocal about their distaste for Love Story.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The academy coach echoes Hurzeler’s distaste for the delays that inevitably come with a heightened emphasis on set pieces.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
12 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
-
The condition interferes with digestion and triggers bouts of nausea and vomiting that require frequent hospital visits.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Played in full, Silent Way induces a pervasive nausea, reveling in gawky soundscapes that seem barely able to contain their outsized, clashing ideas.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aversion. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
