abhor
abhor
Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling (IPA)
/əbˈhɔːr/ (American English) or /əbˈhɔː/ (British English)
ab- (/əb/): The first syllable starts with a schwa sound (like the 'a' in 'about') followed by a 'b' sound.
-hor (/-ˈhɔːr/ or /-ˈhɔː/): The second syllable is stressed. It has an 'h' sound, followed by an 'or' vowel sound (like in 'door' or 'war'). In American English, the 'r' is pronounced; in British English, it often is not.
Word Form Variations
Here are the common word forms related to "abhor":
abhor (verb, base form)
abhors (verb, third-person singular present)
abhorred (verb, past tense and past participle)
abhorring (verb, present participle/gerund)
abhorrence (noun)
abhorrent (adjective)
abhorrently (adverb)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb: abhor
Definition: To feel intense, shuddering hatred or disgust toward something; to regard with complete revulsion or loathing.
Synonyms: detest, loathe, despise, hate, abominate, execrate
Antonyms: love, adore, cherish, admire, esteem, relish
Noun: abhorrence
Definition: A feeling of overwhelming disgust, hatred, and moral repulsion.
Synonyms: hatred, loathing, detestation, repulsion, disgust, aversion, revulsion
Antonyms: love, adoration, admiration, fondness, esteem
Adjective: abhorrent
Definition: Causing or deserving intense disgust, hatred, or moral disapproval; profoundly offensive or detestable.
Synonyms: detestable, loathsome, hateful, despicable, repulsive, disgusting, abominable, offensive
Antonyms: admirable, desirable, lovable, appealing, pleasant, esteemed
Adverb: abhorrently
Definition: In a manner that inspires intense disgust or moral revulsion.
Synonyms: detestably, loathsomely, repulsively, disgustingly
Antonyms: admirably, appealingly, pleasantly
Examples of Use
📚 In Books
"I had begun life with benevolent intentions... but all within me was turned to gall and bitterness. I abhorred myself." (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein)
"She was a woman who abhorred trends and treasured individuality."
"His abhorrence of emotional displays was well known to his family, who had learned to interpret his silence as approval."
📰 In Newspapers
"In an official statement, the prime minister said the government 'abhors violence' and called for an immediate ceasefire." (The Guardian, May 2024)
"The editorial board finds the new policy not just misguided, but morally abhorrent, as it directly targets the most vulnerable." (The New York Times, October 2024)
"Citizens have shown a near-universal abhorrence for the new tax, which many feel is an unfair burden during a recession."
💻 In Online Publications
"The think piece argued that many social media users no longer just disagree with the 'other side'—they actively abhor them, treating political differences as moral failings." (Vox, September 2024)
"In a new profile, the minimalist architect explains why he abhors clutter, viewing it as a distraction from pure form and light." (Architectural Digest, July 2024)
🎬 In Entertainment and Media
Film Review: "The film’s protagonist is an anti-hero in the truest sense; you are forced to follow his journey while simultaneously finding his actions completely abhorrent." (RogerEbert.com, June 2024)
Television Script: "You don't get it. I don't just dislike him. I abhor him. I abhor everything he stands for."
Podcast: "On this week's episode, we're discussing pet peeves, but we're moving beyond simple annoyance to the things we truly, deeply abhor."
💬 In General Public Discourse
Political Speech: "We abhor and condemn this senseless act of vandalism against a public monument."
Public Forum: "As a lifelong teacher, I abhor the use of standardized testing as the only measure of a child's intelligence."
Casual Conversation: "I know most people love cilantro, but I just abhor it. It ruins the whole dish for me."
10 Famous Quotes Using Abhor
"Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." (Romans 12:9, The Bible)
"If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me." (William Shakespeare, Othello)
"You, my creator, abhor me." (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein)
"The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers." (Frederick Douglass)
"I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind." (Thomas Jefferson)
"But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation." (Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four)
"A really civilized man, a really civilized woman, must hold such a God in abhorrence and contempt." (Robert Green Ingersoll)
"I abhor the idea of a perfect world. It would bore me to tears." (Shelby Foote)
"The American people abhor a vacuum." (Theodore Roosevelt)
"You must show the world that you abhor fighting." (Desmond Tutu)
Etymology
The etymology of abhor is very visual and physical. It comes directly from the Latin word abhorrere, which paints a clear picture of disgust.
You can break that Latin word down into two simple parts:
ab-: A prefix meaning "away from."
horrere: A verb meaning "to shudder," "to bristle," or "to stand on end."
This is the exact same root that gives us the English words horror and horrible.
What It Really Means
When you put the parts together, the original meaning of abhorrere was literally "to shudder away from" something.
It's not just a mild dislike. The word describes a feeling of disgust, revulsion, or fear so intense that it makes you want to physically shrink back or recoil in horror, as if your hair were standing on end.
First Use in English
The word was adopted into English in the 15th century (around the 1400s). Its meaning has remained remarkably stable. From its very first uses, it has always meant to feel extreme, gut-level hatred or loathing for something.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Abhor
Phrases Using "Abhor" and Its Forms
Nature abhors a vacuum
(The most famous phrase using the word, a principle in physics and philosophy suggesting that empty spaces are unnatural and will be filled.)To abhor violence
To abhor injustice
To abhor the very thought of...
Morally abhorrent
Held in abhorrence
An abhorrence of waste
Abhorred by all decent people
Idioms and Phrases with a Similar Meaning (Expressing Loathing)
Hate someone's guts
Can't stand the sight of
Wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole
Makes my blood boil
Makes my skin crawl
The bane of my existence
Sick to death of
My pet hate
A bugbear of mine
Loathe the ground someone walks on
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of abhor from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
