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
For those who repel the idea of noise-cancelling headphones, these deliver high-quality sound without drowning out the noise of oncoming traffic—an essential for city runners or anyone who can’t seem to stay out of the bike path.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2025
Mums are healthiest and grow best in areas with mixed plantings, especially with companion plants that have similar care needs, or with plants that repel pests and harmful insects.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Physicists use virtual particles to calculate how two electrons repel each other, with exquisite precision.
—Dipangkar Dutta, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
The one-of-a-kind, special edition book was printed with real garlic ink, and designed to repel Armentrout’s bloodthirsty monsters, the Craven.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 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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Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2025
Mums are healthiest and grow best in areas with mixed plantings, especially with companion plants that have similar care needs, or with plants that repel pests and harmful insects.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Physicists use virtual particles to calculate how two electrons repel each other, with exquisite precision.
—Dipangkar Dutta, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
The one-of-a-kind, special edition book was printed with real garlic ink, and designed to repel Armentrout’s bloodthirsty monsters, the Craven.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 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 9 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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