repelled; repelling
3
a
: to drive away : discourage
foul words and frowns must not repel a lover—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
b
: to be incapable of adhering to, mixing with, taking up, or holding
c
: to force away or apart or tend to do so by mutual action at a distance
4
: to cause aversion in : disgust
: to cause aversion
repeller
noun
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When to Use Repel
Since re- can mean not just "again" but also "back", repel means "drive back". Repel has two common adjective forms; thus, a repellent or repulsive odor may drive us into the other room. Its main noun form is repulsion. Magnets exhibit both attraction and repulsion, and the goal of an armed defense is the repulsion of an enemy; but we generally use repulsion to mean "strong dislike". In recent years, repulse has been increasingly used as a synonym for repel ("That guy repulses me").
Examples of repel in a Sentence
a fabric that repels water
Their superior forces repelled the invasion.
Two positive electrical charges repel each other.
Magnets can both repel and attract one another.
Recent Examples on the Web
What to know about the New York City primary
The coalition seeking to repel Cuomo has framed the choice facing New Yorkers as one between an older, moderate political establishment and a youthful, progressive vision for the party.
—James Powel, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes and ticks.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2025
There are a couple of candidates: Oil of lemon eucalyptus can be applied to exposed skin as well as clothing and works well to repel mosquitoes and ticks, Haines says; make sure to get one with a 30% to 40% concentration, and dilute it with water before use.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 24 June 2025
The Trump administration will work to repel those possible attempts, but from the military on down to governors and local police departments, the country is — and will be — on a heightened level of security concern.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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James Powel, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes and ticks.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2025
There are a couple of candidates: Oil of lemon eucalyptus can be applied to exposed skin as well as clothing and works well to repel mosquitoes and ticks, Haines says; make sure to get one with a 30% to 40% concentration, and dilute it with water before use.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 24 June 2025
The Trump administration will work to repel those possible attempts, but from the military on down to governors and local police departments, the country is — and will be — on a heightened level of security concern.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repel. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
repel
verb
re·pel
ri-ˈpel 
repelled; repelling
1
a
: to drive back
repel the enemy
b
: to fight against : resist
2
: to refuse to accept : reject
repel a suggestion
3
a
: to be incapable of sticking to, mixing with, taking up, or holding
a fabric that repels water
b
: to force away or apart or tend to do so by mutual action at a distance
two like electrical charges repel each other
4
: disgust
a sight that repelled everyone
repeller
noun
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