1
as in curse
a prayer that harm will come to someone
uttered an anathema before driving the would-be robber from the his shop
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enemy
something or someone that is hated
the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics is anathema to animal-rights activists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anathema
That is anathema to Spears and Geruso.
—
Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Tax cuts on tipped wages and overtime as well as tariffs gained favor among many Republicans — all ideas that were anathema to the old guard.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Amid the intensifying Cold War, the government sought to mobilize popular support by resurrecting Russian nationalism, once an anathema to socialist revolutionaries.
—Wendy Z. Goldman, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
To date, the requirements of each side have been anathema to the other.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anathema
Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Tax cuts on tipped wages and overtime as well as tariffs gained favor among many Republicans — all ideas that were anathema to the old guard.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Amid the intensifying Cold War, the government sought to mobilize popular support by resurrecting Russian nationalism, once an anathema to socialist revolutionaries.
—Wendy Z. Goldman, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
To date, the requirements of each side have been anathema to the other.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anathema
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anathema
Noun
-
In part, this is just a curse of timing for the tournaments being played.—
The Athletic Tennis Staff,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
In Jujutsu Kaisen, heroic jujutsu sorcerers wage war against demonic creatures called curses and the curse users, who wield jujutsu powers for evil.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
When integrated into multiple systems, the Tactical Edge Electromagnetic Solutions (TEEMS) can jam enemy systems with speed and precision.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Netanyahu said the country would continue trying to bring home the bodies of Israelis still being held across enemy lines, such as Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy hung in Damascus in 1965.—
NPR,
NPR,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
My generation deserves better leaders than the ones teaching us that bigotry is bravery and hate is just a joke.—
Eli Thompson,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
What Marissa does doesn’t come from hate.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
-
But when asked why similar actions in Iraq were an abomination, the president punted.—
Missy Ryan,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The antipathy toward Scherzer stemmed less from his years of excellence as a Dodgers opponent and more from his brief stint on the team in 2021.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Rather than attracting qualified applicants who want to serve in federal law enforcement, ICE may be appealing to people with antipathy toward immigrants, or who see themselves as helping defend the U.S. from demographic changes.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Mercury News,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These findings echo a broader pattern political scientists call affective polarization: the replacement of disagreement with abhorrence.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
27 Oct. 2025
-
When human decency and basic civility fall victim to partisanship and ideology, and abhorrence of violence becomes tempered by political aims, monstrosities and tyrannies become possible.—
Michael Bloomberg,
Twin Cities,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Between the lines: Many undecideds are painfully trying to balance their sense of obligation with their detestation for Trump, as USA Today first detailed on Thursday.—
Erin Doherty,
Axios,
14 Dec. 2024
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One of the most memorable chapters epitomizes her detestation for the ultra-wealthy and pompous intellectuals who rushed to rationalize her work.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2024
Noun
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For people with shark phobias—likely traumatized by movies like Jaws—such advances could help make getting in the water a little easier.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 Dec. 2025
-
Watch Cyrus talk about her paper phobia above.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anathema.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anathema. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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