repulse

verb

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re·pulse | \ ri-ˈpəls

repulsed; repulsing

Definition of repulse

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to drive or beat back : repel

2 : to repel by discourtesy, coldness, or denial

3 : to cause repulsion in

repulse

noun

Definition of repulse (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : rebuff, rejection

2 : the action of repelling an attacker : the fact of being repelled

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about repulse

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Examples of repulse in a Sentence

Verb The troops repulsed the attack. I was repulsed by the movie's violence. The moldy bread repulsed him. He repulsed all attempts to help him. Noun the waiter's incredibly rude repulse of our polite request for a better table—one that wasn't right next to the kitchen—prompted us to walk out

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb On June 13, the British Seventh Armored Division tried to outflank Caen but was repulsed at Villers-Bocage by elements of the First and Second SS Panzer Divisions. — National Geographic, "'Top Secret' maps reveal the massive Allied effort behind D-Day," 3 June 2019 The Woodstock music festival, which took place the following week, further polarized the divide between those who embraced the hippie ethos and those who were repulsed by it. — Marisa Iati, chicagotribune.com, "Actress Sharon Tate was young, beautiful and pregnant. Then Charles Manson’s ‘family’ arrived.," 10 Aug. 2019 The Battle of Wake Island, the Alamo of the Pacific, is mostly overlooked today — though it was rightly celebrated after the outbreak of World War II, for Americans’ repulsing and then delaying of the Japanese. — Nr Editors, National Review, "Letters," 12 Sep. 2019 As electrons further repulse each other, strain increases. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "This Polymer Will Self-Destruct in 3... 2...," 26 Aug. 2019 So kudos to this unidentified man, who has managed to repulse millions of people by using his bare feet to operate his inflight entertainment screen. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Video: Man using bare feet on inflight screen draws disgusted response," 18 July 2019 Horror fans tend to be sniffy about filmmakers who eschew lashing of gore and an atmosphere of kiddie-repulsing intensity in favor of attempting to garner the largest possible audience with a rating lower than an R. — Clark Collis, EW.com, "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a disgustingly good gateway horror movie," 8 Aug. 2019 The Battle of Fort McHenry took place in 1814, when Americans repulsed a British attempt during the War of 1812 to take over Baltimore. — Calvin Woodward, chicagotribune.com, "George Washington’s forces seized the airports? Trump blames July 4 speech history flub on busted teleprompter.," 5 July 2019 In Rozin's research, he's found that people are particularly repulsed by food that reminds them of bodies. — Emily Dreyfuss, WIRED, "In Defense of Mayonnaise," 4 July 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Yet Mr Trump’s decision to change course represents neither a disastrous retreat nor a major moral repulse. — The Economist, "A blot against America," 23 June 2018 After another great inwash of Hispanics, peaking during the late 1990s at around 750,000 arrivals a year, a repulse was inevitable. — The Economist, "LexingtonHostility to immigration used to be found in both parties," 18 Jan. 2018 Fog stalled airborne reinforcements to British forces at Arnhem in 1944, contributing to the German repulse of a major Allied initiative. — Victor Davis Hanson, National Review, "The Deadly Cost of Mutual Misunderstanding," 18 Oct. 2017 Valerian wheezes to a close and then gives us a sloppy, oafish grin, one that, much like an ugly dog, both endears and repulses. — Jillian Selzer, Cosmopolitan, "The 12 Meanest Things Critics Are Saying About Valerian," 24 July 2017 Valerian wheezes to a close and then gives us a sloppy, oafish grin, one that, much like an ugly dog, both endears and repulses. — Jillian Selzer, Cosmopolitan, "The 12 Meanest Things Critics Are Saying About Valerian," 24 July 2017 Valerian wheezes to a close and then gives us a sloppy, oafish grin, one that, much like an ugly dog, both endears and repulses. — Richard Lawson, HWD, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Is an Endearing, Eye-Popping Mess," 18 July 2017 Valerian wheezes to a close and then gives us a sloppy, oafish grin, one that, much like an ugly dog, both endears and repulses. — Richard Lawson, vanityfair.com, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Is an Endearing, Eye-Popping Mess," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'repulse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.