repulses 1 of 2

noun

plural of repulse
as in rebuffs
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

repulses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of repulse
1
as in disgusts
to cause to feel disgust the smell of that town's paper mill totally repulses me

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2
as in repels
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 repulses
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repulses
  1. dismissals
  2. disgusts
  3. repels
  4. snubs
  5. sickens
  6. resists
  7. rejections
Noun
  • Jeremiah Johnson, vice president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said asylum rates appear to be one factor, but the dismissals cannot be attributed to a single reason.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This baseball season has been defined, in part, by dismissals.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissals
Verb
  • That’s what really disgusts me.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Definition of disgusts
Verb
  • Celery, thyme, marigold, and chamomile can help mask the smell of cabbage plants, while borage repels the moths.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 July 2026
  • While it's best known for triggering playful behavior in cats, researchers have long known the compound also repels insects.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Definition of repels
Noun
  • After the Emmy morning announcement, Vanity Fair’s experts assessed the snubs and surprises of the nominations, which may provide insight for your own ballot.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • After all, her recurring omissions for her role as Kim Wexler on Better Caul Saul is widely considered one of the biggest snubs in modern Emmy history.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of snubs
Verb
  • Alcohol kills 178,000 Americans each year and sickens countless more.
    — Lev Facher, STAT, 12 May 2026
  • Just thinking about it totally sickens me.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Definition of sickens
Verb
  • Hossain resists reading the film as a direct response to that period, though.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Why At a time when images are constantly produced and quickly forgotten, this open call invites artists to create work that resists repetition, holds attention, and makes something felt.
    — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of resists
Noun
  • With incomings, Newcastle’s summer started with a whimper and ended with a bang, a slow-burn of early rejections from high-profile targets which did little to ease a sense of disquiet among supporters.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Garner missed out on a role on The West Wing, Clooney lost a movie role to his best friend Brad Pitt and one of Damon’s biggest rejections ultimately inspired him to write Good Will Hunting.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejections

Browse Nearby Words

repulsed
repulses
repulsing
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Cite this Entry

“Repulses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulses. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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