repelled; repelling
3
a
: to drive away : discourage
foul words and frowns must not repel a lover—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
b
: to be incapable of adhering to, mixing with, taking up, or holding
c
: to force away or apart or tend to do so by mutual action at a distance
4
: to cause aversion in : disgust
: to cause aversion
repeller
noun
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When to Use Repel
Since re- can mean not just "again" but also "back", repel means "drive back". Repel has two common adjective forms; thus, a repellent or repulsive odor may drive us into the other room. Its main noun form is repulsion. Magnets exhibit both attraction and repulsion, and the goal of an armed defense is the repulsion of an enemy; but we generally use repulsion to mean "strong dislike". In recent years, repulse has been increasingly used as a synonym for repel ("That guy repulses me").
Synonyms
Examples of repel in a Sentence
a fabric that repels water
Their superior forces repelled the invasion.
Two positive electrical charges repel each other.
Magnets can both repel and attract one another.
Recent Examples on the Web
But with all the progress being made, and a true effort to fix this problem that generally repels people from the sport, the numbers are starting to go back up in California.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Republican William McKinley’s 1896 election saw the industrial establishment repel the challenge of economic populism.
—Carl Leubsdorf, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
But it’s also got an exterior that repels water and stains, and oh-so-easy to wipe down.
—Kayla Becker, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2024
Follow the product instructions and this spray will help waterproof the boots and repel stains.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for repel 
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John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Republican William McKinley’s 1896 election saw the industrial establishment repel the challenge of economic populism.
—Carl Leubsdorf, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
But it’s also got an exterior that repels water and stains, and oh-so-easy to wipe down.
—Kayla Becker, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2024
Follow the product instructions and this spray will help waterproof the boots and repel stains.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for repel
Dictionary Entries Near repel
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repel. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
repel
verb
re·pel
ri-ˈpel 
repelled; repelling
1
a
: to drive back
repel the enemy
b
: to fight against : resist
2
: to refuse to accept : reject
repel a suggestion
3
a
: to be incapable of sticking to, mixing with, taking up, or holding
a fabric that repels water
b
: to force away or apart or tend to do so by mutual action at a distance
two like electrical charges repel each other
4
: disgust
a sight that repelled everyone
repeller
noun
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