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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to disgust
to cause to feel disgust
the smell of that town's paper mill totally repulses me
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
But many foresee a protracted, bitter conflict, particularly in the country’s east as Russian forces retrench after the humiliating repulse of their advance on Kyiv.
—Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2022
Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Ron spends a lot of time bouncing around the web, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repulse
Noun
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
But many foresee a protracted, bitter conflict, particularly in the country’s east as Russian forces retrench after the humiliating repulse of their advance on Kyiv.
—Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2022
Verb
His family, dependent on his income and repulsed at what has become of their son, must then determine what is to be done with poor Gregor.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Ron spends a lot of time bouncing around the web, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repulse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repulse
Noun
-
Parents said they were told the dismissal was not the result of criminal wrongdoing or abuse allegations.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
-
That immediate dismissal stirred up a new determination within the aspiring firefighter.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
They are hurt and they are harmed by the article, and also they are disgusted by some of the things that were said in the article.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Unlike Jones, who has not been charged with any crime — disgusting as his texts are — James Is under federal indictment for mortgage and bank fraud.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The windshield repels the huddled form and the thump on the pavement sounds like a rebuke.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
It’s made from solid red wood cedar that’s water-resistant, won’t decay, and repels insects.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The matter-of-fact rebuff feels very French, very Oklou.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
1 Oct. 2025
-
There was a unilateral rebuff toward the idea that the industry is experiencing a drummer shortage in general.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In total, the outbreak—linked to prepared pasta sold at grocery stores across the country—is known to have sickened 27 people in 18 states.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The crash has drawn a range of reactions — from conspiracy theories that suggest a government plot to sicken people to serious responses from people who oppose experimenting on animals.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Patriot resists easy characterization chiefly because of Conrad’s writing, which gives his characters strange rhythms and, sometimes, even stranger verbiage.—
Claire McNear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Will you be allowed to bring in your own people, or will the Monforts — owner Dick Monfort and his son Walker, the executive vice president — resist your efforts?—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
After numerous rejections, Guiteau's obsession with the president turned deadly.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
-
To many, the woman’s rejection symbolized deeper concerns around communication and respect in relationships.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Fox News Digital columnist Hugh Hewitt writes that all Americans should be shocked and appalled at the return of antisemitism.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Roberts’s initial statement, delivered in a video posted to social media, appalled a large part of the political right, which has sought to distance itself from Fuentes.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repulse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulse. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share