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
Invading enemy troops were repelled once Ukrainian forces began fighting back.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
Similarly, in 1990, the United States made no serious effort to deter Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait but then took up arms to repel the attack after the fact.
—Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
The scent and texture will repel most common pests.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
Turn to Natural Repellents The pungent scents of essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, and cedar help naturally repel silverfish.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for repel 
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Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
Similarly, in 1990, the United States made no serious effort to deter Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait but then took up arms to repel the attack after the fact.
—Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
The scent and texture will repel most common pests.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
Turn to Natural Repellents The pungent scents of essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, and cedar help naturally repel silverfish.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2025
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 18 Jan. 2025.
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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