1 abominate | Definition of abominate

abominate

verb
abom·​i·​nate | \ ə-ˈbä-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce abominate (audio) \
abominated; abominating

Definition of abominate

transitive verb

formal
: to hate or loathe intensely : abhor Above all he abominated intolerance …— G. R. Elton

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Other Words from abominate

abominator \ -​ˌnā-​tər How to pronounce abominator (audio) \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for abominate

Synonyms

abhor, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe

Antonyms

love

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Choose the Right Synonym for abominate

hate, detest, abhor, abominate, loathe mean to feel strong aversion or intense dislike for. hate implies an emotional aversion often coupled with enmity or malice. hated the enemy with a passion detest suggests violent antipathy. detests cowards abhor implies a deep often shuddering repugnance. a crime abhorred by all abominate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation. abominates all forms of violence loathe implies utter disgust and intolerance. loathed the mere sight of them

Examples of abominate in a Sentence

a politician who is revered by his supporters and abominated by his enemies we abominate jokes that make fun of people who have mental or physical disabilities

Recent Examples on the Web

And there is nothing more deflating than watching someone who has put his foot wrong in this culture subject himself to performative self-criticism, abominating himself as a bearer of privilege. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, "Pavlik Morozov Is the Patron Saint of Cancel Culture," 2 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abominate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of abominate

1597, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for abominate

borrowed from Latin abōminātus, past participle of abōminārī "to avert (an event forecast by an omen) by prayer, to abhor, detest," from ab- ab- + ōminārī "to know by means of an omen, presage," verbal derivative of ōmin-, ōmen omen

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