What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Abhorrence vs Loath - What's the difference?

abhorrence | loath |

As a noun abhorrence

is extreme aversion or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike or loathing .

As an adjective loath is

unwilling, reluctant; averse, disinclined.

abhorrence

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Extreme aversion or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike or loathing.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1818 , author=Mary Shelley , title=Frankenstein , chapter=9 , url=http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/shelley/mary/s53f/chapter9.html , passage=My abhorrence of this fiend cannot be conceived.}}
  • (obsolete, historical) An expression of abhorrence, in particular any of the parliamentary addresses dictated towards Charles II.
  • A person or thing that is loathsome; a detested thing.

    • Related terms

    * abhor * abhorred * abhorrency * abhorrent * abhorrently * abhorrer * abhorrible * abhorring

    References

    loath

    English

    Alternative forms

    * loth (mostly UK)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • unwilling, reluctant; averse, disinclined
    • I was loath to return to the office without the Henderson file.
  • * 1911 , (Jack London), The Whale Tooth
  • *:The frizzle-headed man-eaters were loath to leave their fleshpots so long as the harvest of human carcases was plentiful. Sometimes, when the harvest was too plentiful, they imposed on the missionaries by letting the word slip out that on such a day there would be a killing and a barbecue.
  • (obsolete) hostile, angry, loathsome, unpleasant

    • Usage notes

    * Often confused in meaning and pronunciation with loathe, a related transitive verb. * This spelling is about four times as common as "loth" in the UK and fifty times as common in the US.

    Synonyms

    * unwilling, reluctant, averse, disinclined

    Related terms

    * loathe

    Anagrams

    *