repel

verb

ri-ˈpel How to pronounce repel (audio)
Definition of repelnext
1
as in to repulse
to drive back the defenders repelled the attacking army after several hours of fierce fighting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disgust
to cause to feel disgust the idea of chocolate-covered grasshoppers repels me

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to resist
to refuse to give in to repelled the temptation to stay out late and call in sick the next day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of repel The Ukrainian defenders repelled the attack and posted video footage of their kamikaze drone strikes destroying at least seven T-72B3A tanks, including some that carried the Arena-M system, according to Euromaidan Press. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 The narrator, though curious to speak herself, is finally repelled. — Maya Binyam, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026 The sandals also repel water and dry quickly when splashed, so my mom can wear them around the pool or during surprise summer drizzles. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 The Build Forward Ukraine team was also aware of Irpin and the special role the city had played in the dark early days, repelling the Russian ground offensive aimed at taking Kyiv, 14 miles south. — Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repel
  1. repulse
  2. disgust
  3. resist
  4. sicken
  5. oppose
  6. withstand
Verb
  • Most Americans are repulsed by the core ideas of radical leftists.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Philly may be shedding its second-fiddle status, but it remains entirely repulsed by frauds and underachievers.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Definition of repulse
Verb
  • If the polls are any indication, Americans in general are disgusted with Washington’s Israel policy.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In 2017, the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine went to a team of French researchers who used advanced brain-scanning technology to measure the extent to which some people are disgusted by fromage.
    — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
Definition of disgust
Verb
  • Compounding the crisis is the fact that airlines are actively resisting standardization in a bid to outdo each other.
    — Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • For instance, as a Christian, I am called to vote for doing justice, making peace, loving mercy, being humble, doing good and resisting evil and, most of all, loving my neighbor, whoever that is.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of resist
Verb
  • Key Background This is the second voluntary recall Taylor Farms has conducted in recent weeks, after lettuce from the produce company was linked to the cyclospora outbreak that has sickened tens of thousands of people across the country.
    — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • However, Ormund is sickened by the blood spurting in his eyes, and Roddy turns the tables, using his remaining hand to stick a knife well into Ormund's backside.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sicken
Verb
  • Prosecutors opposed that request, and a judge denied his petition on July 18, 2025, ordering him to wait one year before filing again.
    — Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Schmidt and Brin have both contributed millions to the political organization Building a Better California to oppose Proposition 40.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppose
Verb
  • Miller said the more than 120-year-old bridge hasn't had a paint job since it was built but said it was designed to withstand a certain amount of rust and believes the section loss is not compromising its structural capacity.
    — Erika Stanish, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The cushions are made with an all-weather waterproof fabric that can withstand the elements and is extremely easy to clean.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of withstand

Browse Nearby Words

repeats
repel
repelled
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Cite this Entry

“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repel. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of repel for Spanish Speakers

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