Repulsion: meaning, definitions and examples

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repulsion

[rɪˈpʌlʃən ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

feeling

A strong feeling of disgust or aversion.

Synonyms

abhorrence, aversion, disgust, revulsion.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
repulsion	Typically used in scientific contexts to describe a force that pushes objects away. In everyday language, it can describe a strong feeling of being pushed away by something unpleasant. The repulsion between the magnets was strong. She felt a deep repulsion at the sight of the spoiled food.
disgust	Refers to a strong feeling of dislike or nausea caused by something offensive. It is commonly used in everyday language. The smell of the garbage filled him with disgust. She couldn't hide her disgust at the inappropriate joke.
aversion	Describes a strong dislike or unwillingness to do something. It does not necessarily carry as intense a negative connotation as others on the list. She has a strong aversion to spiders. He always had an aversion to long meetings.
revulsion	Describes a sudden and intense feeling of disgust or loathing. It often implies a physical reaction. She felt a sense of revulsion when she saw the moldy food. The news of the scandal was met with widespread revulsion.
abhorrence	Used to express a very strong feeling of hatred or loathing for something, often on moral grounds. It has a formal tone. He spoke of his abhorrence of violence. The society maintained a sense of abhorrence towards corruption.

Examples of usage

The thought of eating snails filled her with repulsion.
His repulsion towards violence made him a pacifist.
She couldn't hide her repulsion at the sight of blood.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

physics

The force that acts between bodies of like electric charge or magnetic polarity, tending to separate them.

Synonyms

repellence, repellency.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
repulsion	Repulsion is often used to describe a strong feeling of disgust or aversion towards something, whether physical or emotional. It can also be used in scientific contexts, such as physics, to describe a force pushing objects away from each other. She felt an immediate repulsion when she saw the rotten food. In physics, magnetic repulsion occurs when the north poles of two magnets are brought close to each other.
repellence	Repellence is used mostly to describe the quality of being able to drive something away. It is often used in material science, like describing a fabric’s resistance to water. The repellence of this fabric makes it ideal for outdoor use. This spray creates a skin repellence to mosquitoes.
repellency	Repellency is nearly synonymous with repellence and is often used in similar contexts. It emphasizes the ability of a surface or material to repel liquids or other substances. The repellency of the coat kept him dry during the rainstorm. This coating improves the repellency of your shoes against dirt and water.

Word

Description / Examples

repulsion

Repulsion is often used to describe a strong feeling of disgust or aversion towards something, whether physical or emotional. It can also be used in scientific contexts, such as physics, to describe a force pushing objects away from each other.

She felt an immediate repulsion when she saw the rotten food.
In physics, magnetic repulsion occurs when the north poles of two magnets are brought close to each other.

repellence

Repellence is used mostly to describe the quality of being able to drive something away. It is often used in material science, like describing a fabric’s resistance to water.

The repellence of this fabric makes it ideal for outdoor use.
This spray creates a skin repellence to mosquitoes.

repellency

Repellency is nearly synonymous with repellence and is often used in similar contexts. It emphasizes the ability of a surface or material to repel liquids or other substances.

The repellency of the coat kept him dry during the rainstorm.
This coating improves the repellency of your shoes against dirt and water.

Examples of usage

The repulsion between the two magnets caused them to push apart.
Electrons experience repulsion due to their negative charge.

Translations

Translations of the word "repulsion" in other languages:

🇵🇹 repulsão

🇮🇳 प्रतिकर्षण

🇩🇪 Abstoßung

🇮🇩 tolakan

🇺🇦 відштовхування

🇵🇱 odpychanie

🇯🇵 反発 (hanpatsu)

🇫🇷 répulsion

🇪🇸 repulsión

🇹🇷 itme

🇰🇷 반발 (banbal)

🇸🇦 تنافر

🇨🇿 odpudivost

🇸🇰 odpudzovanie

🇨🇳 排斥 (páichì)

🇸🇮 odbojnost

🇮🇸 fráhvarf

🇰🇿 итергіш

🇬🇪 განზიდვა

🇦🇿 itəlmə

🇲🇽 repulsión

Etymology

The word 'repulsion' originated from the Latin word 'repulsio', which means a driving back or repelling. The concept of repulsion has been studied in various fields such as psychology, physics, and social interactions. In psychology, repulsion is often associated with strong negative emotions like disgust or aversion, while in physics, it refers to the force that causes objects to push away from each other. Understanding the dynamics of repulsion is essential in many scientific and social contexts.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,881, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.

...
15878 closures
15879 albums
15880 vindication
15881 repulsion
15882 intractable
15883 stubble
15884 overshadowed
...