Repulse Definition

rĭ-pŭls
repulsed, repulses, repulsing
verb
repulsed, repulses, repulsing
To drive back; repel, as an attack.
Webster's New World
To repel with discourtesy, coldness, indifference, etc.; refuse, reject, or rebuff.
Webster's New World
To cause repugnance or distaste in.
Was repulsed by his drunken behavior.
American Heritage
To be repulsive, or disgusting, to.
Webster's New World
To repulse a suitor.
Wiktionary
noun
repulses
A repelling or being repelled.
Webster's New World
The act of repulsing or the state of being repulsed.
Wiktionary
A refusal, rejection, or rebuff.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Repulse

Noun

Singular:
repulse
Plural:
repulses

Origin of Repulse

  • For spelling, as in pulse, the -e (on -lse) is so the end is pronounced /ls/, rather than /lz/ as in pulls, and does not change the vowel ("˜u'). Compare else, false, convulse.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Latin repellere (“to drive back"), from re- (“back") + pellere (“to drive").

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English repulsen from Latin repellere repuls- repel

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to repulse using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

repulse