disgust
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
-
repugnance caused by something offensive; strong aversion.
He left the room in disgust.
- Synonyms:
- antipathy, detestation, abhorrence
- Antonyms:
- relish
verb
-
to sicken or fill with loathing
-
to offend the moral sense, principles, or taste of
noun
-
a great loathing or distaste aroused by someone or something
-
as a result of disgust
Synonym Usage
See dislike.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
disgustednessnoun
-
predisgustnoun
-
self-disgustnoun
-
quasi-disgustedadjective
-
undisgustedadjective
-
disgustedlyadverb
-
quasi-disgustedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
disgustsimple
-
disgustssimple
-
have disgustedperfect
-
has disgustedperfect
-
am disgustingprogressive
-
are disgustingprogressive
-
is disgustingprogressive
-
have been disgustingperfect progressive
-
has been disgustingperfect progressive
Past
-
disgustedsimple
-
had disgustedperfect
-
was disgustingprogressive
-
were disgustingprogressive
-
had been disgustingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disgust
First recorded in 1590–1600; (for the verb) from Middle French desgouster, from des- dis- 1 + gouster “to taste, relish” (derivative of goust “taste,” from Latin gusta; see also choose); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
Disgust is a strong feeling of dislike. If you can't stand peas, you might wrinkle your nose in disgust when you are served a bowl of pea soup. Disgust is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it's a reaction to something you think is gross or terrible, like showing your disgust at a movie by getting up and leaving. As a verb, disgust means "to offend," like when your class's bad behavior at the assembly disgusts all the teachers, or "to gross out or revolt." If you pick your nose in public, you will disgust everyone around you.
Vocabulary lists containing disgust
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Emotions on Display
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.
They bonded over a shared disgust at gladiator shoes, and soon thereafter, were in a relationship.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
Gonzalez Rogers held the statue with mock, or perhaps real, disgust.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
Obsessive, intrusive thoughts can paralyse sufferers with anxiety, fear, disgust or shame - and many will not realise the images they are experiencing in their head are due to OCD.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
It encourages the audience to think, but it doesn’t force their disgust for empty provocation.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026
My breath catches when I see the numbers on them— they’re all fifties and hundreds—but Andre shakes his head in disgust.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
