1
as in to repulse
to drive back
the defenders repelled the attacking army after several hours of fierce fighting
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disgust
to cause to feel disgust
the idea of chocolate-covered grasshoppers repels me
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to resist
to refuse to give in to
repelled the temptation to stay out late and call in sick the next day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repel
The Basset Fauve de Bretagne, also known as the Fawn Colored Brittany Basset, is a hound with coarse, wiry fur that conveniently repels dirt and does not mat, according to the AKC.
—
Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Dryer sheets pick up dust and hair and leave behind a thin layer of anti-static residue that will help repel dust, keeping baseboards cleaner for longer.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025
The oil penetrates the wood to keep it from drying out, while the beeswax adds a gentle protective layer that repels water.
—Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 29 Dec. 2025
Much of that has to do with a shield that can repel attacks, interact with the environment and brutalize adversaries.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repel
Verb
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For reasons that are quite possibly too unbearable to contemplate, a large group of American voters was not repulsed by such slander—they were actually aroused by it—and our politics have not been the same.—
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Nicole is the kind of wife who moves out of her father’s home into her husband’s home, and who has been taught to be repulsed by the mushroom spores covering her body, just like all the women in their community.—
Verb
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In 2017, the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine went to a team of English and French researchers who used advanced brain-scanning technology to measure the extent to which some people are disgusted by cheese.—
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Anyone who believes that our access to essential medicines should be based on science, not political ideology, should be disgusted by these legal attacks.—
Verb
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After a man appears to resist, the situation escalates as several agents tackle him and place him in handcuffs.—
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Pahlavi has encouraged Iranians to resist the Islamic regime by participating in mass protests.—
Verb
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Most of those sickened were not vaccinated, and two children died.—
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Just thinking about it totally sickens me.—
Verb
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The act of extinction, formalized thousands of miles away during the course of a tense meeting, had involved opposing factions in the company responsible for the destiny of Skinny Pedro and his companions.—
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And if Tommy is opposed to big risks, Cami can’t have him as the president of her company anymore.—
Verb
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Apart from these severe conditions, Zimmer says outdoor units rarely need to be covered, as they're designed for outdoor use and built to withstand such conditions.—
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Taiwan should deepen its reserves of ammunition, energy, and food to withstand a prolonged blockade—measured in months, not weeks.—
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repel. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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