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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disgusts
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repulses
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
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
Verb
-
That’s what really disgusts me.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Made from moisture-wicking fabric, this workout tank naturally repels sweat to keep you cool during high-intensity workouts and outdoor activities.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Sometimes that means that one plant repels bugs that often attack the other plant.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Ivan Juric failed, even as a Gasperini disciple, to provide continuity and struggled for credibility after his dismissals from Roma and Southampton last season.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
The Town Council experienced a wave of upheaval in 2025 amid executive actions, member dismissals, resignations and public criticism.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
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
Verb
-
The spacious interior accommodates towels, snacks and more, while the exterior resists dirt and scuffs.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
-
His victim, in her unassailable purity, resists him, thereby proving that the arrivistes populating the ranks of England’s most upwardly mobile class had a moral edge over the nobility.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
For many, two key snubs for Mauricio Pochettino’s first World Cup roster were in the midfield, as Diego Luna and Tanner Tessman weren’t among the 26 men on the stage at Pier 17.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
-
Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Levi Colwill and Estevao will all get a full summer to recover their minds and bodies and enjoy the benefits of something resembling a proper pre-season, fuelled by the additional motivation of their World Cup snubs.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Under former Commissioner Marty Makary, who resigned last month, several initial rejections were issued to companies seeking to market rare disease drugs and gene therapies.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
2 June 2026
-
Tuesday's rejections bring Polis' veto total for the year to nine, two shy of his single-year record.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repulses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulses. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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