repulsive

adjective

re·​pul·​sive ri-ˈpəl-siv 

1

: serving or able to repulse

repulsive force

2

: tending to repel or reject : cold, forbidding

3

: arousing aversion or disgust

repulsive crimes

repulsively adverb

repulsiveness noun

Synonyms

• abhorrent
• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• disgusting
• distasteful
• dreadful
• evil
• foul
• fulsome
• gross
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• loathsome
• nasty
• nauseating
• nauseous
• noisome
• noxious
• obnoxious
• obscene
• odious
• offensive
• rancid
• repellent
• repellant
• repugnant
• revolting
• scandalous
• shocking
• sickening
• ugly

Examples of repulsive in a Sentence

Magnets have a repulsive effect on each other.

a repulsive display of shameless flattery that made the embarrassed actor wrinkle his nose in disgust

Recent Examples on the Web

Exciting, repulsive and beautiful in equal measure, this feels like something the writer-director has been working toward since his unsettling 2016 debut feature, The Witch. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024

Figuring out exactly what is so repulsive about ketchup could also be helpful, Goldberg said. —Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 9 Nov. 2024

The retrograde Pierpoint trader played by Sagar Radia is perhaps the most overtly repulsive individual in an office already suffering from a workplace-culture problem. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2024

The same people who find the Nazi swastika repulsive are happy to wear the hammer and sickle on a T-shirt, hat, or military belt buckle. —Andrew Nagorski, Foreign Affairs, 30 Nov. 2012

Word History

Etymology

Middle English repulsyve "(in medicine) dissipating collected humors," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French repulsif "repelling, dissipating humors," borrowed from Medieval Latin repulsīvus, from Latin repulsus, past participle of repellere "to push away, drive back, fend off" + -īvus -ive — more at repel

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

repulsive

adjective

re·​pul·​sive ri-ˈpəl-siv 

: causing disgust

repulsively adverb

repulsiveness noun