1
as in repulsing
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 disgusting
to cause to feel disgust
the idea of chocolate-covered grasshoppers repels me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in resisting
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
as in repellent
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repelling
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
Vietnam's Duc Phuc, whose song was based on a folktale about a king famous for repelling an enemy army, was crowned the strongest act by a jury made up of participating countries.
—Andrew Osborn, USA Today, 21 Sep. 2025
Don’t forget to stock up on these mosquito-repelling bracelets before your next camping trip or tropical-climate adventure.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
Your LinkedIn profile transformation starts now Your profile is either attracting dream clients or repelling them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Duck hunters will especially appreciate the back of the vest that acts as a bird bag, complete with blood-repelling technology.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The concept also previews innovative ideas for desert racing, including repelling sand from its sleek four-door body and peering through dust storms.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The Stanford researchers were also able to improve on the water wicking capability of the nanoPE material by using a microneedle punching technique and coating the material with a water-repelling agent.
—Dexter Johnson, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2016
Adjective
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
Vietnam's Duc Phuc, whose song was based on a folktale about a king famous for repelling an enemy army, was crowned the strongest act by a jury made up of participating countries.
—Andrew Osborn, USA Today, 21 Sep. 2025
Don’t forget to stock up on these mosquito-repelling bracelets before your next camping trip or tropical-climate adventure.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
Your LinkedIn profile transformation starts now Your profile is either attracting dream clients or repelling them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Duck hunters will especially appreciate the back of the vest that acts as a bird bag, complete with blood-repelling technology.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The concept also previews innovative ideas for desert racing, including repelling sand from its sleek four-door body and peering through dust storms.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The Stanford researchers were also able to improve on the water wicking capability of the nanoPE material by using a microneedle punching technique and coating the material with a water-repelling agent.
—Dexter Johnson, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repelling
Verb
-
Yoni Mendez-Lopez, 29, a Mexican national, was taken into custody with a record that includes resisting an officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, assault on a law enforcement officer, driving without a valid license, and attempting to flee to elude law enforcement, according to ICE.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Wood explained that speaking out on her feelings about the sketch was about resisting the instinct to shrink herself.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Cotton or linen blends work if treated with a water-repellant finish (like Scotchgard), while Polyester, nylon, or olefin (polypropylene) are strong, budget-friendly, and inherently stain resistant.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
-
That means protective clothing, insect repellant and monitoring your skin after spending time outdoors to try and lower your risk.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
More and more coaches are willing to chip pucks behind the defense and let their players chase it, using speed and tenacity to apply pressure and win possession back deep in opposing territory.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
But lawyers opposing the government in at least two of the cases opposed the requests.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Someone may have had the impulse to say something despicable about the assassination of Kirk or expressed some repulsive attitudes towards a particular group of people that warranted social pressure.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The cupcake, nevertheless, looks repulsive.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The plant—and particularly the liverwurst product made there—was determined to be the source of a Listeria outbreak that spanned May to September of last year, sickening at least 61 people across 19 states.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
16 Sep. 2025
-
But screwworms aren't the only dangerous pathogens sickening Americans this summer.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This revolting behavior is not limited to the media.—
Brooke L. Rollins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The many physically revolting and morally repellent acts that ensue amount to little but a gross-out joke.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But Rieff also invokes sickness in another sense, denoting that which is morally repugnant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Their answer to having to tolerate difference is whatever means are necessary to stop liberalization, and lamentably, our Bill of Rights and governmental checks on the executive mean that taking a jack hammer to our nation’s foundation is a necessary means to a repugnant end.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repelling. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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