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to repulse

to repulse

23 6.7
To make someone feel strong dislike or disgust
  • verb
  • /rɪˈpʌls/
translation icon : repugnar
  • Many people are repulsed by the thought of eating insects.

And I think that Eve and Voigt would be repulsed by what he sees today.

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Examples

  • The judges will be repulsed by him.

  • A man will kiss you if he thinks you expect it, even if you repulse or bore him.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • - Madam, you repulse me.

  • In fact, you seem repulsed by me.

  • At first, I am repulsed, but then I start to like them.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I am personally repulsed by such a concept.

  • She was totally repulsed by me.

  • Bellhop Johnson was clearly repulsed by the sight of me.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • In the car, Susan talked about being repulsed by the assailant.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • But the last time I saw him, it wasn't just that I didn't like him... he repulsed me.

Synonyms

to horrify
vsto repulse
90 4.3

Make someone feel very shocked, afraid, or disgusted

focuses on intense distaste and aversion rather than mainly fear
to disgust
vsto repulse
83 2.1

To make someone feel strong dislike and sick because something is offensive

focuses on intense distaste or aversion rather than moral judgment
to turn off
vsto repulse
  • Informal
44 4.4

To make someone feel strong dislike

is the same idea but emphasizes a strong repellent reaction
to sicken
vsto repulse
27 4.3

Make someone feel disgusted or shocked by bad actions

stresses intense distaste rather than primarily moral concern
to repel
vsto repulse
5 5.1

Cause someone to feel strong dislike or disgust

is more about intense distaste and aversion than general dislike
to revulse
vsto repulse
9.3

Make someone feel sudden shock or disgust

is less sudden and more about steady intense aversion
to make someone's skin crawl
vsto repulse
  • Informal
7.4

Cause a strong feeling of fear or disgust with a creepy physical feeling

is about intense distaste without specific physical reaction
to disrelish
vsto repulse
9.9

To feel dislike for something or make someone dislike it

is stronger stressing intense aversion rather than growing dislike

Antonyms

232 3.1

Be attractive or interesting to someone

71 2.2

To please people by being friendly and attractive

How Repulsive

to revolt
29 5.3
to repulse
23 6.7
to disgust
83 2.1

Surface Forms

repulse infinitive
repulsed past
repulsed past participle
repulsing present participle
repulses third person singular

Morphology

repulse = pulse (opaque) = re + pulse

Though related historically to re- + puls-, the emotional/aversive sense is a semantic extension not derivable from the apparent components by average learners.

Etymology

Repulse comes from old Latin parts re- 'back' and pellere 'to push'. A helpful way to remember the meaning is to imagine something 'pushing you back' — so to be repulsed is to feel strong disgust or to want to push the thing away.