aversion
noun
aver·sion
ə-ˈvər-zhən 
-shən
1
a
: a feeling of repugnance toward something with a desire to avoid or turn from it
regards drunkenness with aversion
b
: a settled dislike : antipathy
expressed an aversion to parties
c
: a tendency to extinguish a behavior or to avoid a thing or situation and especially a usually pleasurable one because it is or has been associated with a noxious stimulus
2
: an object of dislike or aversion
"Of all things inconstancy is my aversion."—
Jane Austen
Jane Austen3
obsolete
: the act of turning away
Synonyms
Examples of aversion in a Sentence
Diners who want to reduce the size of their environmental footprint might reassess their aversion to bugs, DeFoliart says.
—Janet Raloff, Science News, 7 June 2008
A 16-year Monitor veteran with no previous combat experience, Tyson said she has yet to start reading newspapers on a regular basis because of her aversion to war news and does not like talking about it yet.
—Joe Strupp, Editor & Publisher, 21 Apr. 2003
The answer was revealing in many ways. It showed his dark humor, aversion to sentimentality, keen understanding of the role that realism must play in a messy world, and somewhat less keen appreciation for the role that morality plays in sustaining a democracy's foreign policy.
—Walter Isaacson, New Republic, 16 Dec. 2002
They regarded war with aversion.
I simply have this ingrained aversion to the sight of bloodshed.
Janet Raloff, Science News, 7 June 2008
A 16-year Monitor veteran with no previous combat experience, Tyson said she has yet to start reading newspapers on a regular basis because of her aversion to war news and does not like talking about it yet.
—Joe Strupp, Editor & Publisher, 21 Apr. 2003
The answer was revealing in many ways. It showed his dark humor, aversion to sentimentality, keen understanding of the role that realism must play in a messy world, and somewhat less keen appreciation for the role that morality plays in sustaining a democracy's foreign policy.
—Walter Isaacson, New Republic, 16 Dec. 2002
They regarded war with aversion.
I simply have this ingrained aversion to the sight of bloodshed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Typical symptoms of meningitis infections include fever, headache, a stiff neck, an aversion to light and nausea.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
One reason for that aversion has to do with the usage of one specific instrument: the speculum.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 29 Mar. 2024
Naturally, my contributions veered towards an adoration for journalism—an indispensable facet of our future—mixed feelings towards social media, and an aversion towards the latest hardware trends.
—Kylie Robison, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024
People who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, or who experience meat aversions during pregnancy
Barmmer cautions against iron supplements for those who have blood transfusions or have the condition hemochromatosis, which can lead to an over-accumulation of iron in the body.
—Casey Seiden, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024
Yet her daughter does show signs of specific anxieties and aversions.
—Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024
His wife, Jessica Fischer, doesn’t join him at regular services — not out of an aversion, but because of a lack of habit.
—Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
The seminal work of psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky introduced the concept of loss aversion in 1979.
—Dan Irvine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Look no further than Cuban’s latest venture for evidence of that aversion to slowing down.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2024
Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
One reason for that aversion has to do with the usage of one specific instrument: the speculum.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 29 Mar. 2024
Naturally, my contributions veered towards an adoration for journalism—an indispensable facet of our future—mixed feelings towards social media, and an aversion towards the latest hardware trends.
—Kylie Robison, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024
People who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, or who experience meat aversions during pregnancy
Barmmer cautions against iron supplements for those who have blood transfusions or have the condition hemochromatosis, which can lead to an over-accumulation of iron in the body.
—Casey Seiden, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024
Yet her daughter does show signs of specific anxieties and aversions.
—Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024
His wife, Jessica Fischer, doesn’t join him at regular services — not out of an aversion, but because of a lack of habit.
—Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
The seminal work of psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky introduced the concept of loss aversion in 1979.
—Dan Irvine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Look no further than Cuban’s latest venture for evidence of that aversion to slowing down.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aversion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near aversion
Cite this Entry
“Aversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aversion. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aversion
noun
aver·sion
ə-ˈvər-zhən
1
: a strong dislike
2
: something strongly disliked
Medical Definition
aversion
noun
aver·sion
ə-ˈvər-zhən, -shən
1
: a feeling of repugnance toward something with a desire to avoid or turn from it
2
: a tendency to extinguish a behavior or to avoid a thing or situation and especially a usually pleasurable one because it is or has been associated with a noxious stimulus
conditioning of food aversions by drug injection
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