repulsive

adjective

ri-ˈpəl-siv How to pronounce repulsive (audio)
Definition of repulsivenext
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment a repulsive display of shameless flattery that made the embarrassed actor wrinkle his nose in disgust

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 repulsive This provision is equally repulsive. — Austin Elias-De Jesus, New Yorker, 3 June 2026 And Mary’s electric, palpably physical pursuit of justice becomes even more crucial in the final act, after a grotesque display of performative mockery toward Māori culture fractures the last remnants of civility present amid one of Cole’s lavish-yet-repulsive gatherings. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 May 2026 However repulsive the allegations leveled at Gaiman, there’s no getting rid of him. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 May 2026 Then the flashy dude does something really stupid and repulsive. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repulsive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repulsive
  1. disgusting
  2. ugly
  3. sickening
  4. awful
  5. horrible
  6. hideous
  7. obnoxious
  8. shocking
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Lindsay Hubbard, one of the stars of Bravo’s Summer House, was doing an on-camera interview for a different reality show when shocking news broke that two of her Summer House castmates had gotten together.
    — The Deadline Team, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Wells, 39, laid his gloves down in the Octagon after the shocking victory.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking

Browse Nearby Words

repulsions
repulsive
repulsiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Repulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulsive. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of repulsive for Spanish Speakers

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