repel
verb (used with object)
to drive or force back (an assailant, invader, etc.).
had repelled
-
past perfectof repel.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Nigerien forces had repelled the attack "with the assistance of servicemen of the African Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defence", the foreign ministry in Moscow said on Sunday.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The Syrian army said that it had repelled a drone attack from neighbouring Iraq that targeted a southern Syrian base which previously housed US forces, state media reported.
From Barron's ● Mar. 28, 2026
Nelson Semedo was able to tap the first equaliser into an empty net as the rebound fell kindly after Thomas Strakosha had repelled the Portuguese defender's initial effort.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2024
The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said its troops there had repelled 12 attacks by the Russian army between Friday and Saturday.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 18, 2023
The sarcasm that had repelled, the harshness that had startled me once, were only like keen condiments in a choice dish: their presence was pungent, but their absence would be felt as comparatively insipid.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
