Anathema
noun
Something or someone that one greatly dislikes or is strongly against.
Racism is anathema to her.
Often appears as...
- be anathema to
- consider something anathema
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
noun
A formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, stripping a person of all rights within the Church.
He was declared anathema and excommunicated because of his heresy.
Often appears as...
- declare anathema
- fall under anathema
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic, Religious
noun
Something or someone that one greatly dislikes or is strongly against.
Racism is anathema to her.
Often appears as...
- be anathema to
- consider something anathema
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
noun
A formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, stripping a person of all rights within the Church.
He was declared anathema and excommunicated because of his heresy.
Often appears as...
- declare anathema
- fall under anathema
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic, Religious
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Strong Dislike
Use 'anathema' to express a very strong aversion or negative feeling towards something.
Dishonesty is anathema to him.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Opposition
It is often used to emphasize a principled opposition to something, not just a personal preference.
Child labor is anathema to our organization's values.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Emphasis
'Anathema' indicates a level of intensity that is greater than a simple dislike.
Corruption should be anathema to every citizen.
Compare with
abominationcursedetestationheresyobloquyoutcastpariahtaboo
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Video examples
I grew up in the...
And just as I learned to do, we routinely refuse to acknowledge the flaws in our positions or the merits in our opponent's. Compromise is anathema. We even target people on our own side when they dare to question the party line. This path has brought us cruel, sniping, deepening polarization,
Video examples
Shocking Footage of Baby...
puts his does what we call reach over he rests his trunk across the infant's back which is what's done also when a male mounts of female where we were he moved before meanwhile there's commotion anathema where the left one tusk is
Video examples
The lost art of...
obvious solution what would it be let everyone write in a golf cart if they want to then the fairness objection goes away but letting everyone ride in a cart would have been I suspect more anathema
Video examples
I grew up in the...
And just as I learned to do, we routinely refuse to acknowledge the flaws in our positions or the merits in our opponent's. Compromise is anathema. We even target people on our own side when they dare to question the party line. This path has brought us cruel, sniping, deepening polarization,
Video examples
Shocking Footage of Baby...
puts his does what we call reach over he rests his trunk across the infant's back which is what's done also when a male mounts of female where we were he moved before meanwhile there's commotion anathema where the left one tusk is
Video examples
The lost art of...
obvious solution what would it be let everyone write in a golf cart if they want to then the fairness objection goes away but letting everyone ride in a cart would have been I suspect more anathema
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Martin Amis
British Author
People ask me if I ever thought of writing a children's book. I say, 'If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children's book', but otherwise the idea of being conscious of who you're directing the story to is anathema to me, because, in my view, fiction is freedom and any restraints on that are intolerable.
Quote examples
George Bernard Shaw
Irish Playwright
In socialism, private property is anathema, and equal distribution of income the first consideration. In capitalism, private property is cardinal, and distribution left to ensue from the play of free contract and selfish interest on that basis, no matter what anomalies it may present.
Quote examples
Rebecca Hall
English Actress
I'm a very private person. I barely tell my friends what's going on half the time, so the idea that I should then talk to the world about what is going on seems anathema to me. People can say what they want. I'm not going to change anyone's mind.
Quote examples
S.E. Cupp
American Journalist
In fact, if you think hard about it, animal conservation should actually be anathema to the Darwin-loving liberal agenda, which holds up evolution - and not altruistic compassion - as the final word on the survival of a species.
Quote examples
Peggy Noonan
American Writer
What Andrew Cuomo said is, truly, a scandal. It's a scandal if he actually thinks it - that those who hold conservative views on abortion, gun rights and marriage are extreme, anathema and have no place in the state.
Quote examples
Zadie Smith
British Novelist
I just can't get used to the idea of being somebody unreal in people's minds. I can't live my life like that. And it's just anathema to being a writer. It's not healthy.
Quote examples
Dennis Prager
American Journalist
The idea that you earn things - that you earn respect, that you earn income, responsibility, the vote, punishment... these ideas are anathema to the liberal mind.
Quote examples
Gord Downie
Canadian Musician
To be honest, I think affiliation is anathema - if you're a rock 'n' roller, you're a lone wolf.
Quote examples
J. B. Pritzker
Argentinian Businessman
Trump is an anathema to America's democracy and values.
Quote examples
Steve Rushin
American Journalist
Compassion and empathy are anathema to sports.
Quote examples
Martin Amis
British Author
People ask me if I ever thought of writing a children's book. I say, 'If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children's book', but otherwise the idea of being conscious of who you're directing the story to is anathema to me, because, in my view, fiction is freedom and any restraints on that are intolerable.
Quote examples
George Bernard Shaw
Irish Playwright
In socialism, private property is anathema, and equal distribution of income the first consideration. In capitalism, private property is cardinal, and distribution left to ensue from the play of free contract and selfish interest on that basis, no matter what anomalies it may present.
Quote examples
Rebecca Hall
English Actress
I'm a very private person. I barely tell my friends what's going on half the time, so the idea that I should then talk to the world about what is going on seems anathema to me. People can say what they want. I'm not going to change anyone's mind.
Quote examples
S.E. Cupp
American Journalist
In fact, if you think hard about it, animal conservation should actually be anathema to the Darwin-loving liberal agenda, which holds up evolution - and not altruistic compassion - as the final word on the survival of a species.
Quote examples
Peggy Noonan
American Writer
What Andrew Cuomo said is, truly, a scandal. It's a scandal if he actually thinks it - that those who hold conservative views on abortion, gun rights and marriage are extreme, anathema and have no place in the state.
Quote examples
Zadie Smith
British Novelist
I just can't get used to the idea of being somebody unreal in people's minds. I can't live my life like that. And it's just anathema to being a writer. It's not healthy.
Quote examples
Dennis Prager
American Journalist
The idea that you earn things - that you earn respect, that you earn income, responsibility, the vote, punishment... these ideas are anathema to the liberal mind.
Quote examples
Gord Downie
Canadian Musician
To be honest, I think affiliation is anathema - if you're a rock 'n' roller, you're a lone wolf.
Quote examples
J. B. Pritzker
Argentinian Businessman
Trump is an anathema to America's democracy and values.
Quote examples
Steve Rushin
American Journalist
Compassion and empathy are anathema to sports.
Example 1 of 10
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