aversion.

A strong dislike or repulsion that makes someone want to avoid something.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• an aversion to blood
• develop an aversion
• strong aversion

On the page

His aversion to hospitals began with a frightening childhood stay.

She had an aversion to enclosed tunnels but not to heights.

The story distinguishes her aversion to the smell from her fear of the machinery.

Usage notes

Primary category: fear. Not identical to fear: dislike or disgust may be sufficient. Distinguish what is expected to be unpleasant from what is expected to cause harm. Count noun. Count plural: aversions. Derived family (not additional inflections or records): averse.