Repulsive: meaning, definitions and examples

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repulsive

 

[ rɪˈpʌlsɪv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

feeling

Causing a feeling of disgust or aversion; tending to repel or drive away.

Synonyms

abhorrent, disgusting, offensive, revolting

Examples of usage

  • The repulsive smell coming from the garbage can made me gag.
  • His repulsive behavior towards others alienated him from his friends.
  • I found the horror movie to be too repulsive to watch till the end.
Context #2 | Adjective

physics

Of or relating to a force that tends to push away.

Synonyms

driving, expelling, pushing

Examples of usage

  • Magnets have both attractive and repulsive forces.
  • The repulsive force between the electrons keeps the atoms from collapsing.

Translations

Translations of the word "repulsive" in other languages:

🇵🇹 repulsivo

🇮🇳 घृणित (ghṛṇit)

🇩🇪 abstoßend

🇮🇩 menjijikkan

🇺🇦 відразливий

🇵🇱 odpychający

🇯🇵 嫌悪感を抱かせる (ken'okan o idakaseru)

🇫🇷 répugnant

🇪🇸 repulsivo

🇹🇷 iğrenç

🇰🇷 혐오스러운 (hyeomoseureoun)

🇸🇦 مقزز (muqazz)

🇨🇿 odporný

🇸🇰 odpudivý

🇨🇳 令人厌恶的 (lìng rén yànwù de)

🇸🇮 odbojen

🇮🇸 viðbjóðslegur

🇰🇿 жиіркенішті

🇬🇪 შემზარავი (shemzaravi)

🇦🇿 iyrənc

🇲🇽 repulsivo

Word origin

The word 'repulsive' originated from the Latin word 'repulsivus', which means to repel or drive back. Over time, the term evolved to describe things or actions that cause a strong feeling of disgust or aversion. The concept of repulsion is not only found in human emotions but also in physics, where it refers to a force that pushes objects away from each other. The history of the word 'repulsive' reflects its dual nature of both emotional and physical repulsion.

See also: repulse, repulsion, repulsively, repulsiveness.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #14,005, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.