repulsive
adjective
re·pul·sive
ri-ˈpəl-siv 
1
: serving or able to repulse
repulsive force
2
: tending to repel or reject : cold, forbidding
3
: arousing aversion or disgust
repulsive crimes
repulsively
adverb
repulsiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of repulsive in a Sentence
Magnets have a repulsive effect on each other.
a repulsive display of shameless flattery that made the embarrassed actor wrinkle his nose in disgust
Recent Examples on the Web
One question still remains unanswered, however: When micrometer-sized objects move toward each other in the water, a repulsive force is created, so the protruding neck should cause the prey to drift away.
—
Lars Fischer, Scientific American, 14 June 2024
The new French thriller Infested, showing at Venice as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar, is either irresistible or repulsive depending on your point of view, and maybe a bit of both.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2024
The idea that someone who’d helped overturn an election would then land a cushy contributor role at a news network is and should be repulsive to most people.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2024
Astronomers can then sort the growth of galactic clustering strength over time to track the competition between the gravitational attraction of matter and the repulsive effect of dark energy.
—Richard Panek, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for repulsive 
Lars Fischer, Scientific American, 14 June 2024
The new French thriller Infested, showing at Venice as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar, is either irresistible or repulsive depending on your point of view, and maybe a bit of both.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2024
The idea that someone who’d helped overturn an election would then land a cushy contributor role at a news network is and should be repulsive to most people.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2024
Astronomers can then sort the growth of galactic clustering strength over time to track the competition between the gravitational attraction of matter and the repulsive effect of dark energy.
—Richard Panek, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for repulsive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repulsive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near repulsive
Cite this Entry
“Repulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repulsive. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
repulsive
adjective
re·pul·sive
ri-ˈpəl-siv
: causing disgust
repulsively
adverb
repulsiveness
noun
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