repulse 1 of 2

noun

Definition of repulsenext
as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly the waiter's incredibly rude repulse of our polite request for a better table—one that wasn't right next to the kitchen—prompted us to walk out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

repulse

2 of 2

verb

ri-ˈpəls How to pronounce repulse (audio)
1
as in to disgust
to cause to feel disgust the smell of that town's paper mill totally repulses me

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to repel
to drive back the defense repeatedly repulsed all of the offense's attempts to move the ball forward, keeping them firmly planted on the 20-yard line

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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 repulse
Noun
Larger than life, his creation repulses and torments him, and Victor spends the rest of his life both running from it and trying to destroy it. — Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024 The optical, stop-motion, and puppetry effects alone should make Brain Damage a priority on your watchlist, but Henenlotter’s film excites and repulses on a deeper level. — Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
Verb
Anyone who has worked in or observed the media industry for the last couple of decades will recognize and be repulsed by nepo-baby Jay, who is undeniably villainous. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026 Floyd, distraught by his own physical failures, is nevertheless repulsed by the sight of Carol in her big, burly ump gear. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repulse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repulse
  1. dismissal
  2. disgust
  3. repel
  4. rebuff
  5. sicken
  6. resist
  7. rejection
  8. appall
Noun
  • The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) explored the candidacy of various coaches in the wake of McCullum’s dismissal from the red-ball role.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Suda filed suit for wrongful dismissal, and the museum countersued her for theft; the conflict is set to be resolved via arbitration, at a judge’s order, later this year.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 29 July 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • In 2017, the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine went to a team of French researchers who used advanced brain-scanning technology to measure the extent to which some people are disgusted by fromage.
    — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
  • Kim The call left Kim Grindell disgusted, furious and wracked with guilt.
    — Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 June 2026
Definition of disgust
Verb
  • Ukrainian drone defenses, minefields, and artillery effectively repelled the attack, inflicting heavy losses including seven tanks and over 150 casualties.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Plants that will help repel pests that are harmful to jalapeños include basil, garlic, chives, rosemary, marigolds, and onions.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 July 2026
Definition of repel
Noun
  • The rebuff contributes to the future civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, in which Rhaenyra battles her half-brother Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) for the seat of power.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026
  • Despite the Reina Sofía’s many refusals to lend the work to various institutions around the world, its rebuff of the Guggenheim’s request carries a particular sting because the Basque Country has long held that the painting belongs in the place where the depicted tragedy occurred.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of rebuff
Verb
  • In March, Kim was transferred to a different department to help deal with a local measles outbreak that sickened seven people in the county, five of them children.
    — Kate Wells, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Congress granted veterans who served at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune an exception because of severe groundwater contamination that sickened thousands of veterans and their families who served and lived on the base between 1953 and 1987.
    — Nicole Borman, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of sicken
Verb
  • If someone pushes back, resist turning it into a battle for dominance.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
  • And, apparently, her husband Prince Harry couldn’t resist the opportunity to crash.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 26 July 2026
Definition of resist
Noun
  • The unprecedented proposal, aimed at accelerating investment, faced swift and broad opposition from major confederations like UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, transforming it into a near-global rejection.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Spain’s Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned under the enclaves’ special border-rejection regime.
    — Jamie Timson, TheWeek, 31 July 2026
Definition of rejection
Verb
  • He was appalled by the slaughter, but, more than that, by the complacency of his neighbors, their willingness to ignore the bloody work being done under their noses.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • Many subjects were appalled by his treatment of his closest family.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026
Definition of appall

Browse Nearby Words

repugnant
repulse
repulsed
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Cite this Entry

“Repulse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulse. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of repulse for Spanish Speakers

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