repugnant

adjective

re·​pug·​nant ri-ˈpəg-nənt 

1

: causing a strong feeling of distaste or aversion

repugnant language

a morally repugnant practice

2

: incompatible, inconsistent

… a seizure with consequences … repugnant to the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution …

—State v. Barcia, 549 A.2d 491 (1988)

3

archaic : hostile

repugnantly adverb

Synonyms of repugnant

• disgusting
• ugly
• sickening
• awful
• horrible
• obnoxious
• hideous
• shocking
• obscene
• offensive
• dreadful

Examples of repugnant in a Sentence

technically speaking, it may not be a violation, but it is certainly repugnant to the spirit of the law

Recent Examples on the Web

But Alicia soon begins to suspect that her daughter is one of the children grotesquely stolen from the desaparecidos, dissidents disappeared by the country’s authoritarian junta, and that her husband might be in on the repugnant scheme. — David Faris, TheWeek, 27 July 2026

Trump’s selling Wall Street early access to his Truth Social posts is ethically repugnant, but may be legal, columnist Michael Hiltzik writes. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

And Patrick McGoohan in particular is an absolutely repugnant heavy in this movie. — Chris Willman, Variety, 5 May 2026

This state has had some awful governors, but none in modern times ever attempted anything so repugnant as exposing more children to deadly diseases, as DeSantis has. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, opposed, contradictory, incompatible, from Anglo-French, from Latin repugnant-, repugnans, present participle of repugnare to fight against, from re- + pugnare to fight — more at pungent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

repugnant

adjective

re·​pug·​nant ri-ˈpəg-nənt 

1

: incompatible sense 1

2

: causing a feeling of dislike or disgust : repulsive

repugnantly adverb

Legal Definition

repugnant

adjective

re·​pug·​nant ri-ˈpəg-nənt 

: characterized by contradiction and irreconcilability

the arbitrator's decision was not repugnant to the Act

—M. A. Kelly