William Shakespeare
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When to Use Repel
Since re- can mean not just "again" but also "back", repel means "drive back". Repel has two common adjective forms; thus, a repellent or repulsive odor may drive us into the other room. Its main noun form is repulsion. Magnets exhibit both attraction and repulsion, and the goal of an armed defense is the repulsion of an enemy; but we generally use repulsion to mean "strong dislike". In recent years, repulse has been increasingly used as a synonym for repel ("That guy repulses me").
Synonyms
Examples of repel in a Sentence
Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
It is said to repel mosquitos and other insects, but those claims are not proven.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Apr. 2024
The nightmare scenario leaders here had long warned about — a direct attack from Iran — provided a public showcase of the regional coalition and high-tech systems built to repel it.
—Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Iran's attack, while expected by U.S. intelligence and forecast by President Joe Biden on Friday, was extensive and required significant resources to repel, according to the official.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Disruptive and uncomfortable meetings filled with hostility between directors and the audience will repel most volunteers, who decide that life is too short to deal with unpleasant people.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024
In what proved to be a disastrous miscalculation for Moscow, Ukraine repelled the initial assault on its capital and, later in 2022, reclaimed some of the territories overrun by Russia.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
Both are currently being secured by the Haiti National Police and soldiers with the Armed Forces of Haiti, who, working together, have managed to repel attacks.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2024
But that is the point: to wear a strange, nostalgic shoe that will simultaneously repel some people and draw others inwards.
—Daniel Rodgers, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repel.' 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 repel
Cite this Entry
“Repel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repel. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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repel
verb
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