1
as in to repulse
to drive back
the defenders repelled the attacking army after several hours of fierce fighting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disgust
to cause to feel disgust
the idea of chocolate-covered grasshoppers repels me
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repel
Several natural and chemical options can also repel mosquitoes indoors, and a combination of strategies is often the most successful.
—
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2025
The goal is to strongly attract people who share this belief while repelling those who don't.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Belousov said the means of repelling drone attacks is among the fleet’s priorities, according to a ministry statement.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
These methods include the mosquito coils, repellents, mosquito nets and other methods to repel, kill and prevent mosquitoes.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2025
The goal is to strongly attract people who share this belief while repelling those who don't.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Belousov said the means of repelling drone attacks is among the fleet’s priorities, according to a ministry statement.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
These methods include the mosquito coils, repellents, mosquito nets and other methods to repel, kill and prevent mosquitoes.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repel
Verb
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These schemes produced hair collections that survive today, no doubt bewildering (and possibly repulsing) generations of archivists.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
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Like Einstein, Brassard feels repulsed by the way the particles in the Bell experiment seem to have firsthand awareness of each other despite being separated by, in principle, light-years of space.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Locals were disgusted with city leadership’s inept handling of the crisis.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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The young writer, disgusted by the condition of his own sheets, placed the relatively clean linen on his bed.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Money Idaho legislators have long resisted spending — or letting local governments spend.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Aug. 2025
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So far, the Federal Reserve has resisted cutting rates over concerns that tariffs would fuel an inflationary spike, and policymakers were closely watching the economic data over the summer, which gave a mixed picture across inflation and employment.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Over the past few weeks, the U.S. has experienced a surge in virus outbreaks, including chikungunya, Legionnaires' disease and dengue fever, which have all sickened hundreds of people and can adversely affect the body in severe cases.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 Aug. 2025
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State health officials have declared an end to the measles outbreak that sickened at least 762 people in West Texas.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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It was frowned upon to fraternize with opposing players during batting practice, so hugging them in the first inning would be totally out of the question.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
23 Aug. 2025
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The only relative known to oppose the brothers’ release was Kitty’s brother, Milton Andersen, who died earlier this year.—
Matthew J. Friedman,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricanes.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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For this reason, many in industrial settings opt for aluminum or hard plastic clipboards designed to withstand drops and long-term wear and tear.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repel. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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