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
Approximately 50 soldiers guarding the vehicles attempted to repel the attackers, presidential spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo said, without specifying whether anyone was injured.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
In the first episode, the recruits wasted no time in repelling from a helicopter hovering in the air.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025
Realistically, your best chance of success at naturally repelling rats may be using predator urine, repellent pouches, or ultrasonic devices that require less worry and upkeep.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
In fact, the more aggressive Beijing has become toward Taiwan, the more Beijing has repelled rather than attracted the people of Taiwan.
—Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Michael Rios, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
In the first episode, the recruits wasted no time in repelling from a helicopter hovering in the air.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025
Realistically, your best chance of success at naturally repelling rats may be using predator urine, repellent pouches, or ultrasonic devices that require less worry and upkeep.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
In fact, the more aggressive Beijing has become toward Taiwan, the more Beijing has repelled rather than attracted the people of Taiwan.
—Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 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 8 Oct. 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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