abhor

/əbˈhɔː/

//əbˈhɔː// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"abhor" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“abhor” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #44,591 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#44,591
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To regard (someone or something) as horrifying or detestable; to feel great repugnance toward.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

abhor vs abo
60% similar
abhor vs Amor
40% similar
abhor vs ahoy
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for abhor
PropertyValue
Headwordabhor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əbˈhɔː/
Letters5
Frequency rank#44,591
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abhor” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). abhor lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for abhor is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əbˈhɔː/. Corpus data places it at rank #44,591 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for abhor, with forms such as "abbhor", "abhhor", and "abhorr". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "abo", "Amor", "ahoy", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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”). The correct English form is abhor, spelled A-B-H-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To regard (someone or something) as horrifying or detestable; to feel great repugnance toward.
  2. 2
    To fill with horror or disgust.
  3. 3
    To turn aside or avoid; to keep away from; to reject.
  4. 4
    To protest against; to reject solemnly.
  5. 5
    To feel horror, disgust, or dislike (towards); to be contrary or averse (to); construed with from.
  6. 6
    Differ entirely from.

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”).

Synonyms

hate

This word in other languages

aborrecer(Español)abhorrer(Français)verabscheuen(Deutsch)abominar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abbhor,abhhor,abhorr,abhro,abohr,ahbor,bahor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of abhor - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

abbhor1abhhor1abhorr1abhro2abohr2ahbor2bahor2
Edit distance from "abhor"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "abhor"?
"abhor" is spelled A-B-H-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /əbˈhɔː/.
What does "abhor" mean?
As a verb, "abhor" means: To regard (someone or something) as horrifying or detestable; to feel great repugnance toward.
What words are commonly confused with "abhor"?
"abhor" is commonly confused with "abo", "Amor", "ahoy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "abhor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abhor" is /əbˈhɔː/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "abhor"?
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”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “abhor”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-B-H-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əbˈhɔː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “abo” - see the side-by-side comparison. abhor vs abo
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list