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aversion
/əˈvɜːrʒən/
strong dislike
She has a deep aversion to spicy food.
She strongly dislikes spicy food.
formal
A strong feeling of dislike or opposition toward something.
Many people have an aversion to public speaking.
Many people strongly dislike speaking in public.
His aversion to risk made him avoid investing in stocks.
He avoided investing in stocks because he strongly dislikes risk.
Often used in formal or psychological contexts to describe an intense, often irrational dislike.
Collocations
have an aversion tostrongly dislikeovercome one's aversionget past a strong dislikeaversion therapya treatment to reduce unwanted behaviors by associating them with unpleasant stimuli
Pro Tip
Avoid confusion with 'version'
Aversion is not related to 'version' (a form or variant). Remember: aversion = aversion (strong dislike), version = version (variant).
Gold Rule
Use 'aversion' for strong, often irrational dislike
Aversion suggests a deeper, more instinctive dislike than 'dislike' or 'distaste'. It is often used in formal or psychological contexts.
Word Origin
From Latin *aversio(n-)*, from *avertĕre* (to turn away), from *ab-* (away) + *vertere* (to turn).
Usage Notes
Aversion implies a stronger, more instinctive dislike than 'dislike' and is often used in formal or psychological contexts. It can describe both personal preferences and medical/behavioral conditions.
Word Breakdown
a-
from Latin *ab-* (away)
prefix-vers-
from Latin *vertere* (to turn)
root-ion
forms nouns of action or state
suffixEnglish Dictionary