1
as in to repulse
to drive back
the defenders repelled the attacking army after several hours of fierce fighting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of repel
The one-of-a-kind, special edition book was printed with real garlic ink, and designed to repel Armentrout’s bloodthirsty monsters, the Craven.
—
Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Approximately 50 soldiers guarding the vehicles attempted to repel the attackers, presidential spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo said, without specifying whether anyone was injured.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
In the first episode, the recruits wasted no time in repelling from a helicopter hovering in the air.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025
Realistically, your best chance of success at naturally repelling rats may be using predator urine, repellent pouches, or ultrasonic devices that require less worry and upkeep.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Approximately 50 soldiers guarding the vehicles attempted to repel the attackers, presidential spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo said, without specifying whether anyone was injured.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
In the first episode, the recruits wasted no time in repelling from a helicopter hovering in the air.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025
Realistically, your best chance of success at naturally repelling rats may be using predator urine, repellent pouches, or ultrasonic devices that require less worry and upkeep.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repel
Verb
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His family, dependent on his income and repulsed at what has become of their son, must then determine what is to be done with poor Gregor.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
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Ron spends a lot of time bouncing around the web, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Christine assures him that she could never be disgusted with him.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
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Calling the mass killing of civilians in Gaza a genocide is contentious as well, but even patriotic Israelis disgusted by their own government have begun to use the term.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island have long resisted the ongoing settler colonial project that is now the United States.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Oct. 2025
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Ever since the company’s founder was pushed out and fled Russia in 2014 for resisting Kremlin demands and the company was handed over to Putin allies, VK has been more than pliant in cooperating with the state.—
Justin Sherman,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The 15-state outbreak has sickened at least 20, killing four, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA began investigating cases of listeria poisoning, or listeriosis, in September.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Oct. 2025
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The 15-state outbreak has sickened at least 20, killing four, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA began investigating cases of listeria poisoning, or listeriosis, in September.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a group that represents mostly single-family homeowners and opposes nearby higher-density development, criticized the report for not tracking how many homes get demolished to make way for new projects.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
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The government reopened after legislation was passed that didn’t include funding for the aircraft carrier, or for water projects that Carter opposed on similar grounds.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Former White House advisor Ball, who is now a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, said China’s strict rare earth controls represent an opportunity for the rest of the world to build a new supply chain that can withstand weaponization by any one country.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 Oct. 2025
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The set comes with two baskets (one medium and one large) that have a durable metal frame to withstand use for years to come.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repel. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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