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
For others in the industry, though, the very phrase is anathema.
—
James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for anathema
James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for anathema
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anathema
Noun
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Everything changes when a man from the protagonist's past (Harington) comes back from war, and a curse arrives in the form of a knight.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Nico Harrison is gone, but his curse on the Mavericks lingers.—
Kevin Sherrington,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Michael Malone, during his Nuggets days, was a genius at creating enemies, of underlining slights that may or may not have ever been real.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Hurt by Israel’s large-scale infiltration and strikes last year, Iran’s regime moved swiftly to brand those demanding change as enemies of the state.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The law comes amid a broader rise in hate incidents, state leaders and advocates say.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Removing hate is our generation’s responsibility.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This second half of Godzilla’s nearly 70-year history is a towering showcase of how versatile Godzilla is; a character who can be a hero, villain, or even eldritch abomination — to mixed results.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
-
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
Noun
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Rasmussen said Prasad has a longstanding and well-documented antipathy toward the Covid-19 vaccine, as do other administration officials.—
Ben Tinker,
CNN Money,
12 Dec. 2025
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As the lobbying effort to sway federal regulators and lawmakers heats up, the antipathy towards Paramount among Democrats is worth monitoring.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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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 20 Jan. 2026.
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