repugnance

American  

[ri-puhg-nuhns] / rɪˈpʌg nəns /

Also repugnancy

noun

1. the state of being repugnant.

2. strong distaste, aversion, or objection; antipathy.

   Synonyms:

   hostility, hatred

   Antonyms:

   liking, attraction

3. contradictoriness or inconsistency.

   Synonyms:

   irreconcilability, incompatibility, contrariety

   Antonyms:

   compatibility

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Synonym Usage

See dislike.

Etymology

Origin of repugnance

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin repugnantia, equivalent to repugn ( āre ) to repugn + -antia -ance

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Explanation

Repugnance means strong distaste for something. If you love animals, you probably feel repugnance for people who mistreat their horses. The word repugnance comes from Latin root words, re, meaning back, and pugnare, to fight. When we use repugnance, we don't just mean the feeling of fighting back or resisting, but also a feeling of horror or sickness that causes you to resist in the first place. If something grosses you out, you feel repugnance for it. Repugnance can also express a feeling of moral horror: you probably feel repugnance at photographs of torture.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

repugnance

We know too much about everything and everyone, and we’ve seen all of their character flaws and ethical repugnance broadcast in 4K resolution.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

Senate, has managed, however unintentionally, to make moral repugnance his chief point of salability.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

You regard that history with repugnance, and no doubt your friends would say they share that sentiment.

From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2021

Drive drooor from the fresh repugnance, thou whole,

From Washington Post ● May 7, 2020

I could see her hesitate, her caution and repugnance struggling against instincts of common decency.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

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Related Words

• aversion

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