repellent

1 of 2

adjective

re·​pel·​lent ri-ˈpe-lənt How to pronounce repellent (audio)
variants or less commonly repellant
1
: serving or tending to drive away or ward off
often used in combination
a mosquito-repellent spray
2
: arousing aversion or disgust : repulsive
repellently adverb

repellent

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly repellant
: something that repels
especially : a substance that repels insects

Examples of repellent in a Sentence

Adjective The candle has a repellent effect on insects. your snobbish behavior towards my friends is so repellent I can't stand to be around you anymore Noun a can of insect repellent Coat the exterior with a water repellent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Still, the authenticity shtick eventually grew tiresome, and then sort of repellent. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against spraying repellent under your clothing. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Next year consider treating the planting with an animal repellent like Plantskydd labeled to control voles, squirrels, deer and rabbits. Melinda Myers, Journal Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2024 But in an opinion on Tuesday eviscerating his assertion, three federal appeals court judges portrayed his position as not only wrong on the law but also repellent. Charlie Savage, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Material: The most important aspect to consider here is that your ski pants are water repellent or waterproof. Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2024 The people in this song are repellent, selfish, and utterly unforgivable. Rob Long, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024 This compact bag is deceptively roomy while remaining incredibly lightweight, and it’s designed with a sturdy polyester material that’s stain resistant, water repellent, and intended to ward off rips and tears. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2023 Authorities say Simmons used a hammer to break into display cases and sprayed bear repellent on workers. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2024
Noun
My favorite one is this affordable, all-natural formula that protects you against mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and ticks and doubles as both a repellent and an anti-itch cream in one. Jennifer Chan, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2024 That will entail the distribution of repellents, stickers, bandanas and hats with warnings about the disease to audiences at the Sambadrome, where a 15-second notice about the fight against the infection also will be shown. Eléonore Hughes, Quartz, 8 Feb. 2024 But for real impenetrability from rain or snow, Gore-Tex or a membrane coated with durable water repellent (DWR) serve as the ultimate barrier. Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2024 Plaintiffs said the company misled consumers and that the repellent did not perform as advertised. Eden Villalovas, Washington Examiner, 29 Nov. 2023 That's because tiger sharks, bull sharks, great white sharks, hammerheads and other shark species all have different behaviors and react differently to the various forms of repellents, Gavin Naylor, director of shark research at the Florida Museum of Natural History, said. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 7 July 2023 Spray them away Another way to protect again mosquitoes is to spray a repellent on the skin. Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 This repellent is a promising alternative for DEET. Hailey A. Luker, The Conversation, 10 July 2023 Think a lightweight Norwegian cooler that keeps drinks cool without any ice (that’s right—no ice), or a rechargeable glow light that doubles as a mosquito repellent. Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repellent.' 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

Adjective

borrowed from Latin repellent-, repellens, present participle of repellere "to push away, drive back, fend off" — more at repel

Noun

derivative of repellent entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1583, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of repellent was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near repellent

Cite this Entry

“Repellent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repellent. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

repellent

1 of 2 adjective
re·​pel·​lent
variants also repellant
1
: serving or tending to drive away
often used in combination
a water-repellent jacket
2
: causing disgust
repellently adverb

repellent

2 of 2 noun
variants also repellant
: something that repels
especially : a substance used to keep off pests (as insects)

Medical Definition

repellent

1 of 2 adjective
re·​pel·​lent
variants also repellant
: serving or tending to drive away or ward off
often used in combination
a mosquito-repellent spray

repellent

2 of 2 noun
variants also repellant
: something that repels
especially : a substance used to prevent insect attacks

Legal Definition

repellent

noun
re·​pel·​lent
ri-ˈpe-lənt
: a method used to avoid or discourage a hostile corporate takeover

More from Merriam-Webster on repellent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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