abhor
Americanverb (used with object)
-
abhors,
present (3rd person singular)
-
abhorred,
past participle, past
-
abhorring
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See hate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
abhorsimple
-
abhorssimple
-
have abhorredperfect
-
has abhorredperfect
-
am abhorringprogressive
-
are abhorringprogressive
-
is abhorringprogressive
-
have been abhorringperfect progressive
-
has been abhorringperfect progressive
Past
-
abhorredsimple
-
had abhorredperfect
-
was abhorringprogressive
-
were abhorringprogressive
-
had been abhorringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of abhor
First recorded before 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin abhorrēre “to shrink back from, shudder at,” equivalent to ab- ab- + horrēre “to bristle, tremble”
Explanation
If you abhor something, it gives you a feeling of complete hatred. Chances are you abhor that kid who used to torture the frogs in biology class. Abhor is from Latin abhorrere — "to shrink back in horror." It is the strongest way in English to express hatred, even stronger than loathe. We only use abhor in formal contexts; you might say "I abhor that man," but you would be less likely to say "I abhor spinach" unless you tend to express yourself in highfalutin terms no matter what the occasion.
Vocabulary lists containing abhor
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 9, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Romeo and Juliet
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Social media is the new breeding ground for the kind of toxicity that the people mining Panettiere’s death for views purport to abhor.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
This isn’t a threat, but a reality I feel I need to convey explicitly, because as a diplomat and a veteran, I abhor war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
Briloff would say that markets abhor uncertainty, and less frequent reporting only adds more.
From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025
“I disagree with or even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him isn’t the answer either.”
From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2025
Why should nature abhor a vacuum less at the top of a mountain than at the bottom?
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Martin abhors a perfect soul, and loves a human heart in conflict with itself and the world.
From Salon ● Feb. 25, 2026
During the conversation, Muir makes it clear he abhors crowded trades.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 22, 2026
While he abhors actors who think “mumbling is interesting,” he doesn’t overwhelm younger actors who ask for advice with too much detail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2025
That, however, would require something Generation Z abhors: boredom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025
If nature abhors a vacuum, an imagination adores one.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
Mr. Paul explained, then and many times afterward, that he abhorred racism and supported abolition of discrimination in all governmental activity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
The public both abhorred and adored the scandal.
From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2026
Senators, Sandvine later announced that it would no longer work with Belarus, saying that it abhorred “the use of technology to suppress the free flow of information resulting in human rights violations.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
Her mother, Rose Mary Walls, was a hardy free spirit who hoped to succeed as a painter and abhorred the idea of bourgeois life.
From New York Times ● Mar. 18, 2023
He positively abhorred most chemists, especially the competitive variety out of the jungles of New York City.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
He was a fighter for poor minorities, abhorring the gang violence that had taken over in his adopted home of Los Angeles and working for decades to help disadvantaged inner-city kids.
From Washington Times ● May 20, 2023
Kennedy sought liberal outcomes while abhorring instability and uncertainty.
From Slate ● May 27, 2017
Politically, he remained exceptionally conservative, abhorring social unrest and invariably supporting law and order.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 18, 2017
The libretto, by Mr. Morrison and John Cox, an opera director and Wilde scholar, is a high-minded affair, preaching tolerance and abhorring bigotry at every turn.
From New York Times ● Aug. 1, 2013
In those new missions the children, from regarding the fathers with suspicion and abhorring their very sight, soon flock about them at their appearance and will scarcely be persuaded to part from them.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
