Avskyvärda

Avskyvärda is a Swedish adjective meaning “disgusting,” “abhorrent,” or “despicable.” It is used to describe actions, behavior, or people that provoke moral disgust or strong condemnation. The term implies that something is worthy of aversion beyond ordinary unpleasantness.

Etymology: The word is formed from the prefix av- plus skyvärd, a compound meaning “worthy of disgust.” The combination signals a moral judgment rather than mere discomfort. It is used for both singular and plural nouns, with standard Swedish adjective concord.

Usage: Avskyvärda carries a strong, emotionally charged tone and is suitable for describing egregious acts, grave misconduct, or reprehensible individuals. It appears in both formal and informal contexts but is less appropriate for everyday faults or milder disapproval.

Examples: en avskyvärd handling; de avskyvärda handlingarna; avskyvärda personer. See also inflection notes: the adjective agrees with the noun in number and definiteness; for instance, “en avskyvärd person” (indefinite singular), “den avskyvärda personen” (definite singular), “avskyvärda människor” (indefinite plural), “de avskyvärda personerna” (definite plural).

Synonyms and nuance: several close terms include vidrig, äcklig, och motbjudande; avskyvärd connotes a moral condemnation that is stronger than milder descriptors.

See also: notes on Swedish adjectives with av- prefixes and other morally evaluative descriptors.