Dictionary

abhor en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əbˈɔː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Canada) audio
• (UK) audio
• /əˈbʱoː(r)/ (South-Asia) horse–hoarse merger
• (Australia) audio
• /əbˈhɔɹ/ (General-American)
• /əˈbʱɔː(r)/ (South-Asia)
• /æbˈhɔɹ/ (General-American)
• /əbˈhɔː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

First attested in 1449, from Middle English abhorren, borrowed from Middle French abhorrer, from Latin abhorreō (“shrink away from in horror”), from ab- (“from”) + horreō (“stand aghast, bristle with fear”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To regard (someone or something) as horrifying or detestable; to feel great repugnance toward.
   • Let loue bee without dissimulation: abhorre that which is euill, cleaue to that which is good. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 12:9:
   • I have risked alienating some members with criticism of the war, reminding them, for example, that the Lord abhors our worship of the false gods of Western affluence, worldly power and high technology. I agree with Michael J. Easley, the senior pastor-teacher of Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, when he says, "I think my 'job' is to clearly teach the Scriptures, not be persuaded by what may or may not be our people's views." 2003 April 20, Henry G. Brinton, “A Congregation Divided”, in The Washington Post, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Jan 2024:
   • I absolutely abhor being stuck in traffic jams.
   • Many vegetarians abhor the thought of killing animals to feed themselves and also the methods by which animals are slaughtered. 1975 March 21, Judy Klemesrud, “Vegetarianism: Growing Way of Life, Especially Among the Young”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 02 Nov 2025:
2. (impersonal, obsolete, transitive) To fill with horror or disgust.
   • But neuer taynt my Loue. I cannot say Whore, It do's abhorre me now I speake the word, To do the Act, that might the addition earne, Not the worlds Masse of vanitie could make me. c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 332, column 2:
3. (transitive) To turn aside or avoid; to keep away from; to reject.
4. (obsolete, qualifier:canon law, transitive) To protest against; to reject solemnly.
   • I vtterly abhorre; yea, from my Soule Refuse you for my Iudge, whom yet once more I hold my most malicious Foe, and thinke not At all a Friend to truth. 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 216, column 2:
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To feel horror, disgust, or dislike (towards); to be contrary or averse (to); construed with from.
   • Either then the law by harmless and needful dispenses, which the gospel is now made to deny, must have anticipated and exceeded the grace of the gospel, or else must be found to have given politic and superficial graces without real pardon, saying in general, “do this and live,” and yet deceiving and damning underhand with unsound and hollow permissions; which is utterly abhorring from the end of all law, as hath been shewed. 1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], chapter VII, in The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, book II, page 46:
   • Also in those daunces were enterlased dities of wanton loue or ribaudry, with frequent remembrance of the moste vile idolis Venus and Bacchus, as it were that the daunce were to their honour and memorie, whiche most of all abhorred from Christes religion, sauerynge the auncient errour of paganysme. 1531, Thomas Elyot, “That all daunsinge is nat to be reproued”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published [1907], →OCLC, 1st book, page 86:
6. (intransitive, obsolete) Differ entirely from.

Forms

Deriveds

abhorration · abhorrable

Relateds

abhorred · abhorrent · abhorrer · abhorrently · abhorring · abhorrence · abhorrency · abhorrible

Synonyms

hate (to regard as horrifying or detestable) · detest · loathe · disdain

Translations (70)

gd fuathaich (to regard with horror or detestation) · grc στυγέω (to regard with horror or detestation) · hu viszolyog (to regard with horror or detestation) · fr abhorrer (to regard with horror or detestation) · hu iszonyodik (to regard with horror or detestation) · de verabscheuen (to regard with horror or detestation) · th ชัง (to regard with horror or detestation) · io abominar (to regard with horror or detestation) · cmn 痛恨 (to regard with horror or detestation) · de abhorrieren (to regard with horror or detestation) · bg отвращавам се (to regard with horror or detestation) · es aborrecer (to regard with horror or detestation) · mi whakahouhou (to regard with horror or detestation) · fr avoir horreur de (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs hnusit si (to regard with horror or detestation) · tr nefret etmek (to regard with horror or detestation) · gd gràinich (to regard with horror or detestation) · ja 忌む (to regard with horror or detestation) · nl gruwen van (to regard with horror or detestation) · fi inhota (to regard with horror or detestation) · pl czuć odrazę (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs nenávidět (to regard with horror or detestation) · ca avorrir (to regard with horror or detestation) · om balfuu (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs nesnášet (to regard with horror or detestation) · it abominare (to regard with horror or detestation) · ru ненави́деть (to regard with horror or detestation) · eo malamegi (to regard with horror or detestation) · hy ատել (to regard with horror or detestation) · mi konekone (to regard with horror or detestation) · ro detesta (to regard with horror or detestation) · cy cashau (to regard with horror or detestation) · pt abominar (to regard with horror or detestation) · eo abomeni (to regard with horror or detestation) · th ขยะแขยง (to regard with horror or detestation) · ru пита́ть отвраще́ние (to regard with horror or detestation) · ro abhora (to regard with horror or detestation) · ro disprețui (to regard with horror or detestation) · he תִּעֵב (to regard with horror or detestation) · uk морально ненавидіти (to regard with horror or detestation) · vi ghét cay ghét đắng (to regard with horror or detestation) · es aborrir (to regard with horror or detestation) · ro urî (to regard with horror or detestation) · no avsky (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs opovrhovat (to reject with disdain) · oc aborrir (to regard with horror or detestation) · ga adhfhuathaigh (to regard with horror or detestation) · hi घृणा करना (to regard with horror or detestation) · ur گھرنا کرنا (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs ošklivit si (to regard with horror or detestation) · ro respinge cu dispreț (to reject with disdain) · id membenci (to regard with horror or detestation) · pl nie cierpieć (to regard with horror or detestation) · nl verafschuwen (to regard with horror or detestation) · wyi booang (to regard with horror or detestation) · hu irtózik (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs mít odpor (to regard with horror or detestation) · nl walgen van (to regard with horror or detestation) · sv avsky (to regard with horror or detestation) · cs mít odpor (to reject with disdain) · it aborrire (to regard with horror or detestation) · bg гнуся се (to regard with horror or detestation) · th เกลียด (to regard with horror or detestation) · nl verwerpen (to reject with disdain) · la abōminor (to regard with horror or detestation) · mk презира (to regard with horror or detestation) · pt detestar (to regard with horror or detestation) · th เกลียดชัง (to regard with horror or detestation) · la abhorreō (to regard with horror or detestation) · hu gyűlöl (to regard with horror or detestation)