1
as in repulses
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 disgusts
to cause to feel disgust
the idea of chocolate-covered grasshoppers repels me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in resists
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 repels
The chaos of American life repels her.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
If your glass doors have a special coating that repels stains, test cleaners in an inconspicuous place first and check with the manufacturer for cleaning instructions.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
The scent of celery naturally repels pests like cabbage worms and cabbage loopers.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
The South China Morning Post stated that this molecule uses its rigid, bulky structure to physically shield the iron core from chemical attack, while its strong negative charge creates a force field that repels leaking particles.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Marigolds also give off an odor that repels garden pests while attracting pollinators with their warm, brilliant colors.
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
The herby scent also repels flies, gnats, and some ticks.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
Typewriters, stationery, fine-art museums, the quintessential impressionist painter—these are all associated with taste, beauty, and craft, as well as with intentionality and care, the opposite of the ruthless technological efficiency that repels many from generative AI.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
The front glass also includes an anti-smudge coating, fluorine, a material that repels grease and moisture.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
If your glass doors have a special coating that repels stains, test cleaners in an inconspicuous place first and check with the manufacturer for cleaning instructions.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
The scent of celery naturally repels pests like cabbage worms and cabbage loopers.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
The South China Morning Post stated that this molecule uses its rigid, bulky structure to physically shield the iron core from chemical attack, while its strong negative charge creates a force field that repels leaking particles.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Marigolds also give off an odor that repels garden pests while attracting pollinators with their warm, brilliant colors.
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
The herby scent also repels flies, gnats, and some ticks.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
Typewriters, stationery, fine-art museums, the quintessential impressionist painter—these are all associated with taste, beauty, and craft, as well as with intentionality and care, the opposite of the ruthless technological efficiency that repels many from generative AI.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
The front glass also includes an anti-smudge coating, fluorine, a material that repels grease and moisture.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repels
Verb
-
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
-
Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This ornamental onion attracts bees and butterflies (and resists deer and rabbits, too).—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2026
-
Organized in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Public Library System, the exhibition, which opened on April 3 and continues through June 25, unfolds as a traveling, evolving project that resists a single narrative.—
Miguel Sirgado,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Just thinking about it totally sickens me.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Jan. 2026
-
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Listeria sickens about 1,250 Americans every year and causes approximately 172 deaths.—
News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The advocacy group usually opposes UDB expansions, but Reynolds argues that Kelly should be going through the UDB expansion process with its plans.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
5 May 2026
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Literature opposes this, asks us to slow down our metabolization of language, become aware of its bond and density.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repels. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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