odious

adjective

ˈō-dē-əs How to pronounce odious (audio)
Definition of odiousnext
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment an odious and unforgivable insult

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of odious The film’s most odious villain is Orde Wingate (Robert Aramayo), a British Army captain and Christian Zionist who leads the brutal crackdowns on Palestinian villages. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026 These efforts may not spell the end of Iran’s odious, oppressive regime. — Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026 At first, the job is nothing more than an odious chore, but Mary soon channels her passion for nightlife into the Dewey Decimal system. — Literary Hub, 6 Mar. 2026 But Iran today remains one of the world’s most prolific jailers of journalists and odious practitioners of hostage diplomacy. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for odious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for odious
  1. disgusting
  2. ugly
  3. awful
  4. horrible
  5. sickening
  6. obnoxious
  7. hideous
  8. obscene
Adjective
  • In a series distinguished by copious disgusting battle scenes, Ormund co-stars in one of its very grossest—a gross-on-gross-on-gross flambé—and almost gets in one last barf.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • His central characters can be nasty, disgusting, violent, hysterically cruel, and passionately consumed.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Some of the coverage may be ugly and unfair, but isn’t obscurity worse?
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The City of Atlanta and Fulton County’s Board of Commissioners have been trading negotiations over the sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center, and things have started to get ugly.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • The disease still makes lots of people feel awful for a week or two, foiling their summer vacations and forcing them to miss work and school.
    — Rob Stein, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Singing in the shower, gardening, baking, and writing poetry (yes, even awful poetry) are all good options.
    — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • Whatever cloud of innocence has hung over Jo’s life until this point is shattered, both parents struggling how to navigate the horrible experience from an emotional as well as a purely bureaucratic perspective.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • After years of seeing enough photos of fabulous wealth and horrible tragedy, these types of images cease to shock us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • Wildlife officials had found that many of these poisons worked their way through the food chain, sickening and killing owls, raptors, coyotes and mountain lions.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • More importantly, the China business, long a stalwart, started a sickening double-digit decline.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • Stuff like Caitlin Clark getting mugged with no foul being called, or Sophie Cunningham pointing at some obnoxious player, or ESPN drooling over a coach wearing a pro-trans shirt.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the running frenemy dynamic between senior trooper Thorny (Chandrasekhar) and his coarse, obnoxious colleague Farva (Kevin Heffernan) takes more strain than usual when Farva becomes engaged to Thorny’s sister Sarita (Hannah Simone).
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of obnoxious
Adjective
  • Illiteracy, and its centuries-long ongoing epidemic, is hideous.
    — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 21 July 2026
  • The ace endured a rocky start punctuated by a hideous 11-run blowup in Minnesota and has now been sidelined with a shoulder injury since April 26.
    — Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • State Farm Arena policy prohibits clothing displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterizations, while the NBA Fan Code of Conduct prohibits obscene or indecent messages on clothing.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The Tarrant County decorum policy prohibits personal attacks and impertinent, profane, obscene or slanderous remarks.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscene

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“Odious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odious. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of odious for Spanish Speakers

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