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

• abhorrent
• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• disgusting
• distasteful
• dreadful
• evil
• foul
• fulsome
• gross
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• loathsome
• nasty
• nauseating
• nauseous
• noisome
• noxious
• obnoxious
• obscene
• odious
• offensive
• rancid
• repellent
• repellant
• repugnant
• revolting
• scandalous
• shocking
• sickening
• ugly

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

In a remote village, a repulsive skin rash is spreading that causes sufferers to kill their families, and the bumbling police sergeant (Kwak Do-won) investigating the murders is absolutely out of his depth — especially when his own daughter (Kim Hwan-hee) starts to exhibit signs of the disease. —Danny Horn, James Mercadante, Ilana Gordon, EW.com, 31 July 2024

Kevin is an exuberant nerd whose impulsive lectures on history his parents, glued to their screens, find boring; his sister, Saffron (Kiera Thompson), a new character, regards him as ridiculous, pathetic and a little repulsive, as siblings can. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2024

In the film, Connick played a repulsive serial killer named Daryll Lee Cullum, who was obsessed with Weaver's psychologist character Dr. Helen Hudson. —Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 19 July 2024

Quaid as the repulsive TV exec Harvey declares at one point in the trailer, mirroring the unrealistic real-life demands on aging women in Hollywood, where extreme measures like plastic surgery are used as last-ditch efforts to remain in work. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 July 2024

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

Kids Definition

repulsive

adjective

re·​pul·​sive ri-ˈpəl-siv 

: causing disgust

repulsively adverb

repulsiveness noun