repellent

American  

[ri-pel-uhnt] / rɪˈpɛl ənt /

Or repellant

adjective

1. causing distaste or aversion; repulsive.

   Synonyms:

   loathsome, distasteful, disgusting, repugnant

2. forcing or driving back.

3. serving or tending to ward off or drive away.

4. impervious or resistant to something (often used in combination).

   moth-repellant.

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noun

1. something that repels, as a substance that keeps away insects.

2. a medicine that serves to prevent or reduce swellings, tumors, etc.

3. any of various durable or nondurable solutions applied to a fabric, garment, surface, etc., to increase its resistance, as to water, moths, mildew, etc.

repellent British  

/ rɪˈpɛlənt /

adjective

1. giving rise to disgust or aversion; distasteful or repulsive

2. driving or forcing away or back; repelling

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noun

1. something, esp a chemical substance, that repels

   insect repellent

2. a substance with which fabrics are treated to increase their resistance to water

Other Word Forms

• interrepellent
  adjective
• nonrepellent
  adjective
• repellence
  noun
• repellently
  adverb
• self-repellent
  adjective
• unrepellent
  adjective
• unrepellently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of repellent

1635–45; < Latin repellent- (stem of repellēns ), present participle of repellere to drive back. See repel, -ent

Explanation

How can you tell that something is repellent? You dislike it so much, you want nothing to do with it. If something is repellent, it is highly offensive or disgusting. To correctly pronounce repellent, accent the second syllable: "ruh-PELL-unt." Being repellent is sometimes a good thing, like when you're camping — your water-repellent tent gets you through a rainstorm and bug repellent keeps you free of itchy bites. The word originates from the Old French word repeller, meaning "to drive away, remove."

Example Sentences

"I think what those guys in the '60s, Robert Smithson, Michael Heizer tried to do was destroy the land," said Chacon in "Through the Repellent Fence."

From Salon • Oct. 25, 2022

Plantskydd Animal Repellent triggers a fear response in animals, according to the manufacturer, that keeps small animals away.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 5, 2022

When I heard about the $699 and up Liv Smart Mosquito Repellent System from Thermacell that’s designed to protect your backyard, I was immediately intrigued, even despite its heart-stopping price tag.

From The Verge • Jun. 3, 2022

To enter, you must pass through the Mosquito Repellent Spot, tolerate the buzzing of a thousand cicadas and endure humid, steamy conditions more appropriate to the Amazon than central Japan.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2021

Seaweed is the secret behind her green thumb; she calls it Mother Nature’s Slug Repellent.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day