abhor
gb/æbhˈɔɹ/ us/æbhˈɔɹ/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
C1
state
1
hate something intensely
to hate something a lot
Usage pattern:
[someone] abhors [something/someone]; [someone] abhors [doing something]
Common mistake:
Often used with things and actions (abhor violence / abhor lying), not typically for mild dislikes (use 'dislike' or 'can’t stand').
Synonyms
detest (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and neutral than 'abhor'.)
|
loathe (Often suggests a strong personal feeling; less formal.)
|
hate (More general and much more common; can be weaker or stronger depending on context.)
Antonyms
love (Opposite feeling of strong positive affection or approval.)
|
admire (Opposite in the sense of approving or respecting.)
Collocations
abhor violence
|abhor cruelty
|abhor corruption
|abhor racism
|abhor dishonesty
|abhor injustice
|abhor hypocrisy
|abhor war
|abhor being late
|abhor working weekends
Themes
emotions
|opinions
Examples
- She abhors dishonesty and refuses to work with people she can’t trust.
- He abhors being interrupted when he’s speaking.
- Many residents abhor the plan and want it withdrawn.
Learner examples
- I abhor cruelty to animals.
- She abhors lying.
Verb
formal
C1
state
2
feel strong moral disgust
to think something is very wrong and disgusting
Usage pattern:
[someone] abhors [something] (as [adjective]); [someone] abhors [something] on principle
Common mistake:
Avoid using it for small preferences (e.g., food you don’t like). It usually expresses strong condemnation.
Synonyms
condemn (Focuses on publicly expressing strong disapproval, not necessarily personal disgust.)
|
find abhorrent (Adjective-based alternative; emphasizes moral offensiveness.)
|
deplore (Often more formal and less visceral; can stress regret as well as disapproval.)
Antonyms
approve of (Opposite stance of accepting something as right or acceptable.)
|
endorse (Opposite in the sense of actively supporting.)
Collocations
abhor discrimination
|abhor torture
|abhor child labor
|abhor oppression
|abhor exploitation
|abhor hate speech
|abhor violence against civilians
|abhor genocide
|abhor the practice
|abhor the policy
Themes
emotions
|ethics
|society
Examples
- The organization abhors torture under any circumstances.
- She abhors the idea of bribery in public office.
- They said they abhor violence but refused to apologize for the threats.
Learner examples
- We abhor racism.
- He abhors corruption.
Grammar
Dictionary form
abhor
IPA
GB/æbhˈɔɹ/
US/æbhˈɔɹ/
Syllables & stress
ab - hor (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (hor)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: abhor
- 3rd Person Singular: abhors
- Present Participle: abhorring
- Past: abhorred
Word family
Forms
abhors
verb
abhorring
verb
abhorred
verb
Core family
abhorrence
noun
abhorrent
adjective C1
Advanced or less common
abhorrently
adverb C2
Expressions
abhor the thought/idea of [something]
1/æbhˈɔɹ ðə θˈɔtˌaɪdˈi əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
strongly dislike the idea
to hate the idea of something
Examples
- I abhor the thought of leaving my parents alone.
- She abhorred the idea of apologizing to him after what he did.
- They abhor the thought of layoffs, but costs keep rising.
abhor to [verb]
1/æbhˈɔɹ tə vˈɚb/
fixed phrase
literary
strongly dislike doing something
to hate doing something (old-fashioned)
Examples
- He abhorred to ask for help, even when he needed it.
- She abhors to be seen as dependent on anyone.
nature abhors a vacuum
1/nˈeɪt͡ʃɚ əbhˈɔɹz ə vˈækjum/
fixed phrase
empty spaces get filled
if there is an empty space or gap, something will soon fill it
Examples
- When the company stopped serving that market, a competitor moved in—nature abhors a vacuum.
- After he resigned, several people tried to take control; nature abhors a vacuum.
- In politics, nature abhors a vacuum, so someone always steps into an empty role.