1
as in to repulse
to drive back
the defenders repelled the attacking army after several hours of fierce fighting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repel
The Magic repelled the Pistons each time Detroit got close, like late in fourth quarter.
—
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Pest control expert Tony King notes that many common household dryer sheets contain chemicals, such as linalool and citronella, that repel mosquitoes due to their smell.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026
As a companion plant, summer savory is used to repel bean beetles.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
The scent even repels some larger animals that may like to snack on your plants, according to Accime.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repel
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Pest control expert Tony King notes that many common household dryer sheets contain chemicals, such as linalool and citronella, that repel mosquitoes due to their smell.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026
As a companion plant, summer savory is used to repel bean beetles.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
The scent even repels some larger animals that may like to snack on your plants, according to Accime.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repel
Verb
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In the mid-19th century, Kasanje was able to repulse a Portuguese military expedition.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The researchers also found that being young, female, and well educated increased the odds that someone would be moist averse, as did being disgusted more generally by bodily functions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
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Some were disgusted, while others were filled with joy.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The addition of the Kevlar core allowed the fiber to resist deformation and store enough energy to double its jumping height, which matches the capabilities of soil-dwelling insects like springtails.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
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In January, Francisco Manzo was charged with assaulting a peace officer with a deadly weapon and four counts of resisting an officer.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The trial over visitation and grandparents' rights began in October 2025 and has made headlines with Scott claiming his late wife's parents are largely responsible for his wife's death and for gross medical misconduct that sickened his daughter.—
Juliet Pennington,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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Those pelican numbers were very high because of a toxic algae bloom off Southern California that sickened the birds with domoic acid poisoning.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is already the second time this season that the Giants have had a dust-up with an opposing team, the other being during their recent series against the Reds.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Flipping the pro soccer schedule could threaten that commitment, according to the Franklin Park Defenders, a group of park neighbors who oppose the project.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points watches were crafted and designed to be both robust enough to withstand extreme weather conditions and have the ultimate comfort while wearing on the wrist.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
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In addition, be sure to read the maximum temperature that your parchment paper is made to withstand and don't exceed that temperature in your air fryer.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repel. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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