repulsive

[ ri-puhl-siv ]

adjective

1. causing repugnance or aversion:

   a repulsive mask.

   Synonyms: distasteful, offensive, disgusting, loathsome

2. capable of causing repulsion; serving to repulse:

   to present enough repulsive force to keep the enemy from daring to attack.

3. tending to drive away or keep at a distance; cold; forbidding:

   arrogant, repulsive airs to frighten the timid.

4. Physics. of the nature of or characterized by physical repulsion.

repulsive

/ rɪˈpʌlsɪv /

adjective

1. causing or occasioning repugnance; loathsome; disgusting or distasteful

   a repulsive sight

2. tending to repel, esp by coldness and discourtesy
3. physics concerned with, producing, or being a repulsion

Derived Forms

• reˈpulsively, adverb
• reˈpulsiveness, noun

Other Words From

• re·pulsive·ly adverb
• re·pulsive·ness noun
• self-re·pulsive adjective
• unre·pulsive adjective
• unre·pulsive·ly adverb
• unre·pulsive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of repulsive¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; repulse + -ive

Example Sentences

Some repulsive force, nicknamed “dark energy” in the absence of firm knowledge of its true nature, apparently pervades the cosmos.

From Science News

The nation’s fate was never going to matter more to us than it does them, however repulsive we may find their vision for it.

From Washington Post

Its final form was not quite as repulsive as initial proposals.

From Washington Post

She said she found the use of the word “recruit” to describe her locating and hiring of masseuses “repulsive,” insisting her work for Epstein was no different than her efforts to secure gardeners, pool attendants and chauffeurs.

From Washington Post

In the most highly praised measurement yet, reported in Nature in July, Steinberg’s group in Toronto used what’s called the Larmor clock method to gauge how long rubidium atoms took to tunnel through a repulsive laser field.

From Quanta Magazine

He said he had found it repulsive, because to him it had advocated Islamic militancy.

From The Daily Beast

Oh sure, the Super Bowl and all its macho imitators are commemorations of some repulsive male urge best ignored.

From The Daily Beast

They absolutely must boycott this absurd, insane, sickening, repulsive, shameful, and at the same time shame-less circus.

From The Daily Beast

Thomas refused to answer for a while, but now my curiosity was aroused about the repulsive young man below and I pressed him.

From The Daily Beast

In the film, a young schoolgirl in uniform calls Divine sick and repulsive.

From The Daily Beast

A dish of toads of the largest and most repulsive variety used to be offered one by one to the big man's relatives and guests.

From Project Gutenberg

This lady was forty years of age, insufferably proud of her pedigree, and in her manners stiff and repulsive.

From Project Gutenberg

He thought it very likely, and he wanted to see them—but movement was repulsive to his bulging body.

From Project Gutenberg

Unwashed, unshorn, in the loss almost of the aspect of humanity, they became repulsive to each other.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not easy to imagine anything more disgusting and repulsive than these priests.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abhorrent
• creepy
• distasteful
• hateful
• hideous
• nasty
• objectionable
• odious
• off-putting
• revolting
• ugly
• unpleasant
• vile