repel
verb (used with object)
to drive or force back (an assailant, invader, etc.).
repels
-
present tense formof repel (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
At the surface, the foam develops an extremely rough texture that strongly repels water, much like the surface of a lotus leaf.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 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
A can of worms—its opening both entices and repels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
This is the kind of thriller that invites you into a gilded empyrean that compels you and repels you in equal measure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2025
“Goblin-made armor does not require cleaning, simple girl. Goblins’ silver repels mundane dirt, imbibing only that which strengthens it.”
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
