water-repellent
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of water-repellent
First recorded in 1895–1900
Compare meaning
How does water-repellent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
It previously had used the chemicals in durable water-repellent garments, which accounted for a small portion of the products it sold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026
It is water-repellent and was originally used on sailboats, external to make them glide better before being introduced to skiing in the 1980s.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026
Such facilities can release residues from everyday consumer products that use these chemicals, including nonstick cookware, food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, and water-repellent coatings.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2025
Burn scars are at particular risk because intense heat can make soil water-repellent, while the loss of vegetation can mean there aren’t enough roots to hold the soil in place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2025
I had asked the salesgirl, "Is it water-repellent?"
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
