as in rebuffs
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly
the waiter's incredibly rude repulse of our polite request for a better table—one that wasn't right next to the kitchen—prompted us to walk out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disgusts
to cause to feel disgust
the smell of that town's paper mill totally repulses me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in repels
to drive back
the defense repeatedly repulsed all of the offense's attempts to move the ball forward, keeping them firmly planted on the 20-yard line
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of repulses
Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.
—Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repulses
Verb
-
The strong aroma of onions repels many garden pests and can keep deer and rabbits from nibbling on your bell peppers.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
-
Sage can be a real asset in the garden that repels pests from other plants and attracts pollinators with its flowers.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
The Mulholland Drive actress has since become one of the most visible voices urging women to recognize perimenopause symptoms earlier, writing a book on the subject and speaking openly about the years of confusion, shame and dismissals that shaped her experience.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
-
Korey’s record reports multimillion-dollar personal injury case results, more than 1,000 criminal-defense clients served, more than 500 dismissals, and recognition through The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and FOX 26 News.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Alcohol kills 178,000 Americans each year and sickens countless more.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 May 2026
-
Just thinking about it totally sickens me.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trump demonizes immigrants and has launched a sweeping mass-deportation campaign that was cheered by the far right across Europe; Sánchez resists such nativism, and his government is in the midst of a program to give legal status to some half a million undocumented migrants living in Spain.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
Asked what matters most in shaping long-term leadership impact, Molinaroli resists simplification.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Just add this to a long list of snubs and disrespect Caitlin Clark has received over the last few years.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Legal snubs aren’t a first for Musk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Despite the controversy around recent drug rejections, the pharmaceutical industry appears wary about a shakeup at the top of the FDA.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
Further rejections came from Streisand, Cher, and Diana Ross.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repulses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repulses. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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