water-repellent
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of water-repellent
First recorded in 1895–1900
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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
The NWS had warned that two 'burn scars' around Ruidoso were high risk for flash-flooding, as the charred soil left behind by last year's wildfires would be "as water-repellent as a pavement".
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 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
Clean gravel has been washed of debris that could form a water-repellent crust in the mulch and support weed growth.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024
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.
