repugnant

adjective

re·​pug·​nant ri-ˈpəg-nənt How to pronounce repugnant (audio)
1
2
archaic : hostile
3
: exciting distaste or aversion
repugnant language
a morally repugnant practice
repugnantly adverb

Examples of repugnant in a Sentence

technically speaking, it may not be a violation, but it is certainly repugnant to the spirit of the law
Recent Examples on the Web Lanthimos’s previous films — The Favourite, The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dogtooth — were also repugnant social satires, attempting Kubrickian irony. Armond White, National Review, 23 Feb. 2024 But they cannot be selected for prosecution because of their repugnant speech and beliefs over those who committed the same violence with the goal of disrupting political events. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024 Their efforts to drive off Chavez and his organizers are often violent and repugnant to me. Jo Thomas, Detroit Free Press, 14 Jan. 2024 Twins have appeared in culture after culture, in era after era, in religion, mythology and art, here as objects of veneration and divinity, there as something fearful, repugnant and disturbing, even worthy of being put to death. Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Any other outcome is repugnant to the Constitution. WSJ, 9 Jan. 2024 While some of this has played out in the public domain, much of it has taken the form of repugnant and in some cases racist vitriol directed at her through disgraceful emails and phone calls. Anemona Hartocollis Annie Karni Anemona Hartocollis Dana Goldstein Dana Goldstein Anemona Hartocollis Rob Copeland Rob Copeland Jennifer Schuessler Anemona Hartocollis Sarah Mervosh Dana Goldstein Annie Karni Anna Betts Anna Betts Sean Plambeck The New York Times Anemona Hartocollis Anemona Hartocollis Anemona Hartocollis The New York Times Anemona Hartocollis Anna Betts, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2024 Tibetans pressing for freedom from the Chinese are considered unserious or even repugnant in Beijing, just as Native American activists demanding to reclaim parts of the United States might be to the owners of that land. Jonathan Weisman, New York Times, 10 Dec. 2023 Slavery was a horrific, morally repugnant institution, yet Grant never publicly criticized it in the years before the Civil War. John Reeves, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repugnant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, opposed, contradictory, incompatible, from Anglo-French, from Latin repugnant-, repugnans, present participle of repugnare to fight against, from re- + pugnare to fight — more at pungent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of repugnant was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near repugnant

Cite this Entry

“Repugnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repugnant. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

repugnant

adjective
re·​pug·​nant ri-ˈpəg-nənt How to pronounce repugnant (audio)
1
2
: causing a feeling of dislike or disgust : repulsive
repugnantly adverb

Legal Definition

repugnant

adjective
re·​pug·​nant ri-ˈpəg-nənt How to pronounce repugnant (audio)
: characterized by contradiction and irreconcilability
the arbitrator's decision was not repugnant to the ActM. A. Kelly

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