1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

repulsiveness

noun

Definition of repulsivenessnext
as in dreadfulness
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay horror films that seem to be trying to outdo one another in the repulsiveness of their monsters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for repulsiveness
  1. horror
  2. atrocity
  3. awfulness
  4. ghastliness
  5. gruesomeness
  6. hideousness
Noun
  • Increasingly grotesque and comical horror-flick kills are one of the elements that distinguish Amazon’s Reacher series from the pair of Tom Cruise–starring features adapted from Lee Child’s novels previously.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Brie recently produced and starred opposite husband Dave Franco in the acclaimed Neon horror film Together.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of horror
Noun
  • The atrocities committed in Chile were similar to those in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Central America, where leftist movements and guerrillas were squashed with incredible brutality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack an atrocity with no military purpose.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of atrocity
Noun
  • In a world so full of dread and awfulness, why not take a moment to read anonymous petty literary gossip on the internet?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The relative excitement around the Rockies having arrived in San Diego at 6-6 is a reaction based on their relative awfulness.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of awfulness
Noun
  • No amount of gore or ghastliness is off limits for the series, produced by horror champions Blumhouse, as Nicole Kidman's titular medical examiner pores over the remains of the dead.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of ghastliness
Noun
  • Words cannot even begin to adequately express the utter gruesomeness of this crime.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The result is depressingly rizzless for something based on a game famous for its gruesomeness.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 6 May 2026
Definition of gruesomeness
Noun
  • What makes your own skin crawl isn’t just the hideousness of the violence but the unblinking matter-of-factness with which DaCosta films it.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2026
Definition of hideousness
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.

Browse Nearby Words

repulsive
repulsiveness
repurchase
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Repulsiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulsiveness. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of elegiac

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All