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 front glass also includes an anti-smudge coating, fluorine, a material that repels grease and moisture.
—
Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
Foliage has a waxy covering that repels pests and discourages disease.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026
The disguise simultaneously repels birds and other larger predators, who have no interest in eating what appears to be excrement, while luring in the spider’s next dinner.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
The disguise simultaneously repels birds and larger predators, who have no interest in eating what appears to be excrement, while luring in the spider’s next dinner.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Solving the heat issue To tackle this problem, the team designed a coating that repels water even when droplets approach 194 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Feb. 2026
There is this tendency to frame eating disorders as a purely biological phenomenon in a way that kind of evacuates them of all meaning, or actually repels the attempt to create meaning.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
This creates a thin barrier that repels buildup.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
This 2x4-foot area rug literally repels water, making liquid less likely to seep deeper into the material.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
Foliage has a waxy covering that repels pests and discourages disease.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026
The disguise simultaneously repels birds and other larger predators, who have no interest in eating what appears to be excrement, while luring in the spider’s next dinner.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
The disguise simultaneously repels birds and larger predators, who have no interest in eating what appears to be excrement, while luring in the spider’s next dinner.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Solving the heat issue To tackle this problem, the team designed a coating that repels water even when droplets approach 194 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Feb. 2026
There is this tendency to frame eating disorders as a purely biological phenomenon in a way that kind of evacuates them of all meaning, or actually repels the attempt to create meaning.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
This creates a thin barrier that repels buildup.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
This 2x4-foot area rug literally repels water, making liquid less likely to seep deeper into the material.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repels
Verb
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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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Researchers at Central South University have developed a sodium-ion battery cathode that resists air damage, tackling a key flaw that has long limited the technology’s real-world use.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Mar. 2026
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Scaling up production When cast into thin films, these components self-organize into a dense structure that resists swelling with water vapor.—
J. Carson Meredith,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Just thinking about it totally sickens me.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Jan. 2026
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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
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The instinctive Moon opposes jovial Jupiter, tangling your 10th House of Ambition with your 4th House of Comfort.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
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The nationalist president opposes Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s EU coordination push and proposed an alternative plan using national resources for defense spending.—
Claudia Ciobanu,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repels. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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