repelling 1 of 2

adjective

as in repellent

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repelling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of repel
1
as in repulsing
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 disgusting
to cause to feel disgust the idea of chocolate-covered grasshoppers repels me

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3
as in resisting
to refuse to give in to repelled the temptation to stay out late and call in sick the next day

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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 repelling
Verb
Most claims about cornstarch in gardening, such as repelling ants or boosting water retention, lack scientific evidence. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026 Eucalyptus Oil Eucalyptus oil works similarly to peppermint oil in repelling mice. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 28 Aug. 2026 This is more than a sophisticated arms race aimed at repelling threats and protecting borders. — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 27 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 The meager platoon was a consolation from Lord Borros, who claims to be too busy repelling the Dornish to come to his queen’s aid. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 July 2026 We Baltimoreans treasure the role the 1814 battle played in repelling the mighty British forces, which were forced to abandon their siege of Fort McHenry. — Michel A. Ibrahim, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 2026 Argentina’s wily, extroverted goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, was its standout performer, repelling some, spilling others. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 During the Iran-Iraq War of 1980–88, which Khomeini prolonged for several years after repelling the Iraqi invasion, a disproportionate burden fell on Iranians in the southwestern and western provinces. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repelling
  1. repellent
  2. repulsing
  3. disgusting
  4. resisting
  5. repulsive
  6. appalling
  7. opposing
  8. revolting
Adjective
  • Along with the umbrellas to block the sun, people are equipped with mosquito repellant, water bottles, portable phone chargers and tripods.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ford coated restroom surfaces with graffiti-repellant materials.
    — Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of repellent
Verb
  • While there are dismemberments and other bits of gruesome violence to be found in the film, Badlands is largely aimed at endearing its audience rather than repulsing them.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Definition of repulsing
Verb
  • The consequences of disgusting one’s wife, whether or not one agrees with her premise, could be enormous.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Discharge Papers • Aw, The Pitt is back and happy to be disgusting again!
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Verb
  • Imagine trying not to blink, resisting the urge to sneeze or refusing to scratch an intense itch.
    — Michael Okun, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The man is being held at the Chippewa County Jail and has been charged with operating under the influence of drugs, resisting and obstructing a police officer, assaulting a police officer and malicious destruction of police property.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of resisting
Adjective
  • The play’s main character, Mack the Knife, is simultaneously attractive and repulsive, and the role works best when neither of those two sides is neglected.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Sport is full of bad actors expediting the death of discourse with repulsive antics.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of repulsive
Verb
  • The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
  • Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Definition of appalling
Verb
  • As polls show the public increasingly favoring guardrails for AI safety — and opposing data center buildouts — the White House is likely to face still more calls for an explanation of why a more transparent framework is not possible.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Having receiver Cam Coleman opposite Ryan Wingo puts opposing secondaries between a rock and a hard place, because double-teaming one can result in the other going off.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of opposing
Adjective
  • Decide for yourself whether that’s a bold indicator of English football’s superiority over the rest of the world, or a revolting symbol of the bloated and vulgar behemoth that the game has become.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Their dynamic is instead a cudgel to beat the film into an even more revolting shape.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Definition of revolting

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Cite this Entry

“Repelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repelling. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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