REPELLENTS Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

repellent

adjective

ri-ˈpe-lənt

variants also repellant

Definition of repellent

as in disgusting

causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment your snobbish behavior towards my friends is so repellent I can't stand to be around you anymore

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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 repellent Spacey, who played the morally repellent politician Frank Underwood on the Netflix drama, was ousted from the series in 2017 not long after production began on the sixth and final season. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026 This means ensuring they are armed with protective sun gear, swim gear, and bug repellent. — Parents, 26 May 2026 Using it to spray on materials, like clothing, is OK, but it is not advised to use insect-repellant spray on the skin. — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 20 May 2026 Coffee grounds may have a short-term repellent effect on ants but are not effective for long-term control or infestations. — Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for repellent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for repellent

Adjective

Where critics see disgusting piles of stuff, hoarders see more.

— Shivali H. Patra, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Noah Kahan is speaking out about a disgusting habit picked up by some music fans.

— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 29 June 2026

Definition of disgusting

Adjective

Even when Romanzy goes off on how stupid and ugly Caleb is — and gossips that his parents abandoned him because something must be wrong with him — Mary goes along with it.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Definition of ugly

Adjective

One year Pippa Middleton faced the awful shame of having to sit in a normal seat after showing up late.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Sugar is at the forensic lab with the corpse of a man who looks an awful lot like Ji Moon but isn’t Ji Moon (courtesy of Shea Whigham as Tom Flybjerg).

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026

Definition of awful

Adjective

And obviously, slavery was a terrible thing, and that was horrible.

— Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Horton, who married Rickman in 2012 in a private ceremony after more than 40 years together, also told the outlet that the diagnosis had been a horrible shock to them both.

— Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

But there are multiple Ebola strains, and those vaccines, treatments, and tests aren’t effective against the rarer strain, Bundibugyo, sickening people today.

— Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026
Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes and sickening passengers and crew members at an alarming rate, according to a September 2025 report by The Wall Street Journal.

— Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026

Definition of sickening

Adjective

And, for all the theater of the hearing and Wyper’s expressions of sympathy with aldermen, the Stonepeak executive didn’t offer any meaningful concessions to make this obnoxious meter deal more palatable for Chicagoans.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
The song’s spacious production lets its piercing saxophone riffs dissipate into silence, only for borderline obnoxious horns to swirl them back into rhythm.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026

Definition of obnoxious

Adjective

The ace endured a rocky start punctuated by a hideous 11-run blowup in Minnesota and has now been sidelined with a shoulder injury since April 26.

— Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Everyone's favorite hideous ogre and delusional donkey are finally reunited.

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026

Definition of hideous

Adjective

The Packers then blew a 21-3 halftime lead in the Wild Card round against Chicago, gave up 25 fourth quarter points and eventually suffered a shocking 31-27 loss to the arch-rival Bears.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Here’s a look back at the most infamous, shocking, blood-curdling or mysterious crimes and disasters that captured the attention of the nation — and the world.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026

Definition of shocking

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repellency

repellent

repelling

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“Repellent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repellent. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of repellent

adjective

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