as in repellent
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Dissimilar Words
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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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repelling
Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 15 Mar. 2026
There are many options for repelling mice.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Not long afterwards, the Spaniard goes down clutching his left shoulder after repelling a shot from Rutter and requires treatment.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Some plants also make good companions for carrots, either by repelling pests or creating the conditions that carrots like to grow in.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
To protect your crops, consider growing insect-repelling plants.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Feb. 2026
Both types of down do a good job keeping you warm and repelling the elements.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 Jan. 2026
The union did get a win in repelling Canada Post’s attempt to implement dynamic routing in the urban unit and load leveling across both segments.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2025
Brightly colored marigold flowers complement the shades of developing bell and hot pepper fruit, but peppers also benefit from marigolds’ pest-repelling properties.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
This occurs when decomposing organic matter or soil fungi form a waxy, water-resistant coating around soil particles, repelling water rather than absorb it.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 15 Mar. 2026
There are many options for repelling mice.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Not long afterwards, the Spaniard goes down clutching his left shoulder after repelling a shot from Rutter and requires treatment.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Some plants also make good companions for carrots, either by repelling pests or creating the conditions that carrots like to grow in.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
To protect your crops, consider growing insect-repelling plants.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Feb. 2026
Both types of down do a good job keeping you warm and repelling the elements.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 Jan. 2026
The union did get a win in repelling Canada Post’s attempt to implement dynamic routing in the urban unit and load leveling across both segments.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2025
Brightly colored marigold flowers complement the shades of developing bell and hot pepper fruit, but peppers also benefit from marigolds’ pest-repelling properties.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repelling
Adjective
-
That goes for bars of pungent soap, essential oils, sonic repellant devices, and hanging up pennies in bags of water, a favorite Internet myth.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Try Natural Repellants There are a number of natural repellant products that can be used to keep gophers at bay, but these products work best if they’re switched up from time to time so that gophers don’t get too comfy with them.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
Verb
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Discharge Papers • Aw, The Pitt is back and happy to be disgusting again!—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For Chen, beauty becomes a way of resisting reductive portrayals of communities defined by poverty.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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He was later arrested, briefly hospitalized for a potential overdose, and charged with three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an arresting officer.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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More also cheat on their working wife or are found to be repulsive by their spouse.—
Eric Magnuson,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The performance felt both virtuosic and repulsive, a goulash of hype, sloganeering, and calls to violence spiked with in-jokes, shaggy-dog anecdotes, and populist fables, all of it seductive and—in our dangerous era—familiar.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Republicans are eager to put Democrats on record opposing the bill’s hallmark components, including proof of citizenship when registering to vote and a national standard for photo IDs at the ballot box.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
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Rather, they are required to provide such opportunities if legally qualified opposing candidates request it.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The revolting legacy of the pedophile trafficker Jeffrey Epstein continues to unmask the obstacles to finding truth.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
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For him, the most revolting thing about his life in Iran was its pervasive stink.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repelling. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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