repulsive

[ ri-puhl-siv ]
See synonyms for repulsive on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. causing repugnance or aversion: a repulsive mask.

  2. capable of causing repulsion; serving to repulse: to present enough repulsive force to keep the enemy from daring to attack.

  1. tending to drive away or keep at a distance; cold; forbidding: arrogant, repulsive airs to frighten the timid.

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

Origin of repulsive

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; repulse + -ive

Other words for repulsive

Other words from repulsive

  • 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

Words that may be confused with repulsive

Words Nearby repulsive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use repulsive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for repulsive

repulsive

/ (rɪˈpʌlsɪv) /


adjective
  1. causing or occasioning repugnance; loathsome; disgusting or distasteful: a repulsive sight

  2. tending to repel, esp by coldness and discourtesy

  1. physics concerned with, producing, or being a repulsion

Derived forms of repulsive

  • repulsively, adverb
  • repulsiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012