odious
Americanadjective
-
deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable.
- Synonyms:
- execrable, despicable, objectionable, abominable
- Antonyms:
- lovable, attractive
-
highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See hateful.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of odious
1350–1400; Middle English from Latin odiōsus, equivalent to od(ium) “hatred,” odium + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
If something is odious, it's hateful. If you become a historian of slavery, you'll learn all the details of that odious trade. Odious is from the Latin noun odium, which means hatred. It is a strong word, so don't call someone odious unless you want to accuse someone of being loathsome or vile. Actions can also be called odious. A typical use is Shakespeare's in Othello: "You told a lie, an odious damned lie." Some synonyms are hateful, contemptible, detestable, and abominable.
Vocabulary lists containing odious
Fahrenheit 451
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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"On Women's Right to Vote" by Susan B. Anthony
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sandford is a particularly odious source of constitutional wisdom, his argument echoed a broader antebellum consensus.
From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026
It’s not amoral to exercise exceptional prudence when considering an attack on another country, no matter how odious you may find its government.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
The U.S. wants him to sign a peace deal with provisions that most Ukrainians find odious.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025
Finding parking in the L.A. area has long been a struggle, but these days, paying for parking can be just as odious.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2025
Those who spied drops of him on their limbs or torsoes drew back with terror and revulsion, as though trying to shrink away from their own odious skins.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
