disgust

1 of 2

noun

dis·​gust di-ˈskəst How to pronounce disgust (audio)
dis-ˈgəst,
 also  diz-
: marked aversion aroused by something highly distasteful : repugnance
wrinkled her nose in disgust
his disgust at the way the media has been covering the story

disgust

2 of 2

verb

disgusted; disgusting; disgusts

transitive verb

1
: to provoke to loathing, repugnance, or aversion : be offensive to
The idea of eating raw meat disgusts him.
2
: to cause (one) to lose an interest or intention
is disgusted by their ignorance

intransitive verb

: to cause disgust

Examples of disgust in a Sentence

Noun He eyed the greasy food with disgust. As the smell of garbage drifted through the air, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. He talked about his disgust with the way the news media focuses on celebrities. Much to the disgust of some listeners, the speech was interrupted several times by a few people in the audience. She shook her head in disgust when I described the scene. Verb She's a vegetarian because the idea of eating meat totally disgusts her. The photographs disgust some people.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
While the first two horsemen are concerned with frustration and blame, contempt serves to convey disgust. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 So, at the ripe old age of 42, and much to his family’s disgust, Paul takes up the life of the artist, leaving (presumably rent-free) in his aunt’s surprisingly sizable studio flat in a suburb of Paris. Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Locals were disgusted with city leadership’s inept handling of the crisis. Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025 The woman was disgusted by the comments and left the room, according to the outlets, citing the records. Liam Quinn, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disgust

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle French desgouster, from des- dis- + goust taste, from Latin gustus; akin to Latin gustare to taste — more at choose

First Known Use

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1616, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disgust was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disgust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disgust. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

disgust

1 of 2 noun
dis·​gust dis-ˈgəst How to pronounce disgust (audio)
: a strong feeling of dislike caused especially by something sickening or evil

disgust

2 of 2 verb
: to cause to feel disgust
disgusted adjective
disgustedly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on disgust

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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