repel
Americanverb (used with object)
-
repels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
repelled,
past participle, past
-
repelling
present participle
-
to drive or force back (an assailant, invader, etc.).
- Antonyms:
- attract
-
to thrust back or away.
-
to resist effectively (an attack, onslaught, etc.).
-
to keep off or out; fail to mix with.
Water and oil repel each other.
-
to resist the absorption or passage of (water or other liquid).
This coat repels rain.
-
to refuse to have to do with; resist involvement in.
to repel temptation.
-
to refuse to accept or admit; reject.
to repel a suggestion.
-
to discourage the advances of (a person).
He repelled me with his harshness.
-
to cause distaste or aversion in.
Their untidy appearance repelled us.
-
to push back or away by a force, as one body acting upon another (opposed to attract).
The north pole of one magnet will repel the north pole of another.
verb (used without object)
-
repels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
repelled,
past participle, past
-
repelling
present participle
-
to act with a force that drives or keeps away something.
-
to cause distaste or aversion.
verb
-
to force or drive back (something or somebody, esp an attacker)
-
(also intr) to produce a feeling of aversion or distaste in (someone or something); be disgusting (to)
-
to push aside; dismiss
he repelled the suggestion as wrong and impossible
-
to be effective in keeping away, controlling, or resisting
an aerosol spray that repels flies
-
to have no affinity for; fail to mix with or absorb
water and oil repel each other
-
to disdain to accept (something); turn away from or spurn
she repelled his advances
-
(also intr) to exert an opposing force on (something)
an electric charge repels another charge of the same sign
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonrepellencenoun
-
nonrepellencynoun
-
nonrepellernoun
-
repellencenoun
-
repellencynoun
-
repellernoun
-
repellingnessnoun
-
self-repellencynoun
-
unrepelledadjective
-
repellinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
repelsimple
-
repelssimple
-
have repelledperfect
-
has repelledperfect
-
am repellingprogressive
-
are repellingprogressive
-
is repellingprogressive
-
have been repellingperfect progressive
-
has been repellingperfect progressive
Past
-
repelledsimple
-
had repelledperfect
-
was repellingprogressive
-
were repellingprogressive
-
had been repellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of repel
1350–1400; Middle English repellen < Latin repellere to drive back, equivalent to re- re- + pellere to drive, push; see repulse
Explanation
Use the verb repel when you want to turn something away. You might drench yourself in bug spray to repel the mosquitoes that plague you when you go camping. This versatile word can be used in relation to everything from bugs to unwanted romantic advances. The word repel can be used to describe the act of driving something away, as in the case of bugs or other pesky critters, including potential suitors. It can also be used to describe something that causes disgust or distaste. For example, the thought of eating snails might repel you.
Vocabulary lists containing repel
Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Physics - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He said they had met online and told us the pair were working to "repel the armed aggression of the Russian Federation".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
I had hoped the bangs would repel him, but my new facial accessory failed to be a punctuation between us in the way I’d imagined.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Within months, these fighters—often traveling in Toyota Land Cruisers and supported by helicopter gunships—managed to repel rebels from taking over the capital of the mineral-rich nation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
"Electrons normally repel each other, but in superconductors they form pairs; this pair formation is the key to a superconductor's ability to conduct electricity without dissipation," said Lau.
From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026
“You will now divide,” Snape went on, “into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on.”
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
The abrasive texture of shark skin repels barnacles and has inspired antimicrobial surface coatings for hospitals; the seeds of a flowering plant offer clues to the designers of probes destined for other worlds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In one part of the conveyor system, a vibrating panel called an eddy current creates a sort of reverse magnet that repels nonferrous materials like aluminum beverage cans into their own collection area.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
As our magnetosphere repels the storm, it creates the aurora.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2024
People can also decide to treat their clothing, boots and camping gear with permethrin, an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes, according to the CDC.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2024
It has a thick hide that repels most charms and curses, a large, sharp horn upon its nose and a long, rope-like tail.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
While being repelled by so much, she is also apparently lured by ethical violations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
"Debris has been reported in the area of the port of Vysotsk," Drozdenko said on social media early Saturday, while saying the "attack was still being repelled."
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
Residents have told the BBC that Thursday's attack was repelled by the army, which is now hunting down the fleeing assailants who reportedly abandoned their weapons.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
They were briefly repelled by a security guard, who along with two other victims in the parking lot, alerted people at the center and police to the attack, saving lives.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
He and his friends, Hazel and Frank, were standing in the middle of a fountain as Percy repelled the angry Romans with blasts of water.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Since relations with the U.S. have deteriorated, the Cuban government has stepped up what it calls national days of defense to practice repelling invaders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
If elected, Wadagni is expected to be able to count on the loyalty of the army, which played a decisive role in repelling an attempted coup against Talon in December.
From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026
It’s almost perfect, in other words, for repelling crowds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026
The rod-shaped CSV nanocrystals improve how well the perovskite precursor spreads across the typically water repelling SAM surface, allowing for more uniform coverage.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2026
I push Ollie away from me, repelling everything he just said.
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
