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

• repellents
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• repellents
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of repellent

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

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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

See Examples For:

repellent repellents

During periods of drought, ground can become very hard and compacted, which can make it more water repellent and increase run off.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

He could have made something that shimmers, a piece of true pop that expresses repellent ideals.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

I hoped my cat lady image, normally an instant man repellent, would make the man go away.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

One imagined a Hitchockian scene, fighters and attendees diving for cover and cans of repellent as a buzzing cloud descended on the yard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

Despite wearing head nets and using the newly invented “fly dope,” now known as insect repellent, there was no way to truly get rid of the bugs.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple

The new findings suggest that ultrasonic repellents might be used to discourage hedgehogs from entering roads and other dangerous areas.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

"It's amazing because this allows us to actually build targeted sound repellents that wouldn't bother us or our pets," she says.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026

Infection can be prevented by wearing long-sleeved clothing and using mosquito nets, as well as chemical insect repellents such as DEET.

From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2025

Alternatives to chemical-based sprays or creams include repellents with plant-based ingredients such as citronella, lavender and peppermint.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2024

One of them, labeled defense dispenser, offered self-defense equipment: lightweight body armor, chemical repellents, and a wide selection of handguns.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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