An aversion is a strong feeling of dislike or desire to avoid something. When you have an aversion to Brussels sprouts, you don't just prefer not to eat them: you actively don't want them anywhere near your plate. Someone with an aversion to heights feels uncomfortable even looking down from a tall building.

Aversions are more intense than simple preferences. You might prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla, but that doesn't mean you have an aversion to vanilla. An aversion involves a gut-level reaction that makes you want to turn away or keep your distance. A student might develop an aversion to math after struggling with it repeatedly, or someone might have an aversion to crowded places because they feel anxious in large groups.

When you encounter something you have an aversion to, your instinct is to avoid it or push it away. Some aversions are reasonable and protective, like an aversion to touching a hot stove. Others might hold us back from experiences that could turn out better than we expect.