abhor
ab-HOR
/əbˈhɔːr/
To regard with extreme disgust, hatred, or moral repunction.
Implies a deep moral shudder or physical recoil away from something truly repellent.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'abhorrere', meaning 'to shrink back from' or 'shudder at'. It comes from 'ab-' (away) and 'horrere' (to bristle or stand on end, like hair standing up in fear). When you abhor something, your body originally bristled with terror and pulled back.
Word relationships
- detest: Detest emphasizes intense dislike, while abhor adds a strong sense of moral recoil or revulsion.
- loathe: Loathe focuses heavily on physical or emotional disgust, whereas abhor often carries a moral judgment.
- adore: Adore implies deep love and admiration rather than intense revulsion.
- cherish: Cherish involves holding something dear rather than recoiling from it.
Commonly confused with
- adhere: Adhere means to stick to something, whereas abhor means to recoil from something.
Word family
- abhorrence (noun): A feeling of revulsion or strong disgust.
- abhorrent (adjective): Inspiring disgust or loathing.
Collocations
- abhor violence
- abhor cruelty
- abhor deceit
Example sentences
- "I abhorred the idea of returning to Lowood after experiencing true freedom." Literary classic
- "Human rights advocates abhor the use of solitary confinement as a standard punishment." Ethical statement
Memory hook
Think of an ABominable HORror that makes your hair stand on end. Shrink back in horror.
When not to use
Do not use for mild dislikes, such as disliking a flavor of ice cream.
Fun facts
- The root 'horrere' also gave us 'horror', 'horrible', and 'horripilate' (the technical term for getting goosebumps).
Related words
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