repel

verb

re·​pel ri-ˈpel 

repelled; repelling

transitive verb

1

a

: to drive back : repulse

b

: to fight against : resist

2

: turn away, reject

repelled the insinuation

3

a

: to drive away : discourage

foul words and frowns must not repel a lover

—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

intransitive verb

: 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").

Synonyms

• repulse
• resist

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

Tarar said the militants had attempted to attack Pakistan during the ceasefire period, but that Pakistan had repelled the attacks, killing more than 100 fighters. —Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025

This polarization means even post-Trump, Democrats may cling to divisive issues like defund-the-police echoes or aggressive cultural wars, repelling the non-ideological public weary of extremes. —Nafees Alam, Boston Herald, 18 Oct. 2025

Washington has recently appeared to grow more amenable to resuming military backing for Kyiv’s push to repel Russia’s invasion. —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025

Among the tasks for the troops were repelling migrants and, at least in one instance, troops used tear gas on a group of Venezuelan migrants at the border. —Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English repellen, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French repeller, borrowed from Latin repellere "to push away, drive back, fend off," from re- re- + pellere "to beat against, push, strike, rouse" — more at pulse entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for repel

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids 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