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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anathema
In Israel, Netanyahu has become anathema to moderate parties.
—
Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
This was anathema to activists who wanted Boston Police out of city schools.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 23 May 2025
By the 1970s, inured in the culture of the moment, progressive reformers were driven to do something in Baltimore and across America that many of their peers would have considered anathema a decade earlier: rein in the authority of the purportedly wise men running powerful institutions.
—Marc J. Dunkelman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
Colossal’s functional species concept is anathema to the Endangered Species Act.
—Alex Erwin, The Conversation, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for anathema
Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
This was anathema to activists who wanted Boston Police out of city schools.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 23 May 2025
By the 1970s, inured in the culture of the moment, progressive reformers were driven to do something in Baltimore and across America that many of their peers would have considered anathema a decade earlier: rein in the authority of the purportedly wise men running powerful institutions.
—Marc J. Dunkelman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
Colossal’s functional species concept is anathema to the Endangered Species Act.
—Alex Erwin, The Conversation, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for anathema
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anathema
Noun
-
Perfection is a blessing and a curse for Virgo parents.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
15 July 2025
-
Also, the fact that Ken gets cursed by a crazy old ghost actually helps Momo in her alien abduction predicament, with Momo’s newfound spiritual abilities helping to curb Ken’s curse.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
They are professedly based on hunches that the enemy will attack, occupy or conquer at some future time unless the enemy is obliterated.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
24 July 2025
-
Iris and Isaac’s idyll is interrupted by the enemy of all great budding romances: the truth.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The video then shows Pepe the Frog, a popular internet meme that was added to a hate symbol database during the 2016 election.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
-
This year, not only will Gauthier hear the hate on Broad Street, but former Duck Trevor Zegras should feel the love inside the Honda Center.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
The vanilla was the best, with a toasty, rounded flavor, raspberry was jammy and fine, and blueberry was a minor abomination, reminiscent of the warm pool of flavor syrup at the bottom of your snowcone.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 July 2025
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While Bombshell took home the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling in 2020, which was admittedly deserved in the case of Charlize Theron’s transformation into Megyn Kelly, Kidman’s wig was an abomination.—
Jihane Bousfiha,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
Noun
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But the Anti-Masons’ political ascendancy was short-lived; the party collapsed in the 1830s and was largely absorbed by the Whigs, who shared the Anti-Masons’ economic preferences, as well as their antipathy toward Jackson (himself a prominent Freemason).—
Joseph Thorndike,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Critics called the case politically motivated, driven by then-President Joe Biden’s antipathy toward the oil industry.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
20 July 2025
Noun
-
Holly hits the road with the activist and brings along a gun, despite her deep need to be near her home and her abhorrence of weapons.—
Maren Longbella,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2025
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The reactions from right-of-center publications divide into roughly four camps, aligning on a spectrum ranging from vocal approval to outright abhorrence.—
Zack Beauchamp,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Noun
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But sleepaway camp may not be for everyone, including children with a panic or mood disorder, phobia, or who have experienced a recent tragedy or trauma.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
9 July 2025
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So spending the night in a haunted hotel on Friday the 13th, for example, would be a nightmare for anyone dealing with these phobias.—
Tribune News Reports,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 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
Cite this Entry
“Anathema.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anathema. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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