repulsive

adjective

re·​pul·​sive ri-ˈpəl-siv 

1

: serving or able to repulse

repulsive force

2

: tending to repel or reject : cold, forbidding

3

: arousing aversion or disgust

repulsive crimes

repulsively adverb

repulsiveness noun

Synonyms

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

Examples of repulsive in a Sentence

Magnets have a repulsive effect on each other.

a repulsive display of shameless flattery that made the embarrassed actor wrinkle his nose in disgust

Recent Examples on the Web

But the idea of cloning my father’s voice is repulsive to me. —Adam Verner september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025

The repulsive-yet-beautiful magnum opus that remained has been tangled up in theories about Pasolini’s murder ever since. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025

That's the idea that nuclear weapons are so cruel and morally repulsive that nobody has used them for 80 years. —Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 16 Aug. 2025

The goat dung remedy The most repulsive recipe, from an 11th-century text, offered the following tip for chest pain. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English repulsyve "(in medicine) dissipating collected humors," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French repulsif "repelling, dissipating humors," borrowed from Medieval Latin repulsīvus, from Latin repulsus, past participle of repellere "to push away, drive back, fend off" + -īvus -ive — more at repel

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for repulsive

• compulsive
• convulsive
• expulsive
• impulsive
• propulsive
• electroconvulsive

Kids Definition

repulsive

adjective

re·​pul·​sive ri-ˈpəl-siv 

: causing disgust

repulsively adverb

repulsiveness noun