Repulse

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1. Definition + Rich Everyday Explanation

Repulse (verb) = to drive back or defeat an attack, OR to cause strong feelings of disgust or revulsion in someone.

Repulse has two distinct meanings that share a core idea: forceful rejection. Whether you’re pushing away an enemy army or recoiling from something disgusting, the word captures the act of driving something back or turning away in revulsion.

The first meaning is military or physical. To repulse an attack means to successfully fight it off and push it back. Defenders repulse invaders. Armies repulse assaults. This meaning is about resistance and rejection through force. You’ll encounter it in historical accounts, war reporting, and descriptions of any situation where someone successfully defends against aggression.

The second meaning is emotional. When something repulses you, it causes intense disgust. The feeling is visceral — you want to physically turn away or recoil. Repulsive smells, behaviours, or images create this reaction. This meaning captures something stronger than simply “not liking” something — it’s deep, instinctive rejection.

The adjective repulsive is far more common than the verb in everyday speech. Calling something repulsive means it’s extremely disgusting — physically revolting or morally offensive. “Repulsive behaviour,” “repulsive smell,” “repulsive person” all describe things that provoke strong negative reactions.

The noun repulsion describes either the act of driving something back or the feeling of intense disgust. In physics, repulsion refers to forces that push objects apart — the opposite of attraction.

Examples from the street:

• “The defenders repulsed three attacks before finally retreating” → they successfully drove back three assaults before withdrawing
• “The smell from the bin absolutely repulsed me” → the odour disgusted me so intensely I wanted to turn away
• “His behaviour was utterly repulsive” → his actions were deeply disgusting and morally offensive

2. Most Common Patterns

• repulse + attack/assault/invasion/advance → drive back a military or physical threat
• repulse + person → cause someone to feel disgust
• be repulsed by + noun → feel strong disgust toward something
• repulsive + noun (behaviour/smell/sight/idea) → describing something disgusting
• find something repulsive → consider something to be deeply disgusting
• physically/morally repulsive → disgusting in a bodily or ethical sense

3. Phrasal Verbs

Note: There are no common phrasal verbs directly containing “repulse” — these are related expressions:

• fight off → successfully resist or defend against an attack or threat

  Example: “The villagers managed to fight off the bandits.”

• push back → force something to retreat or resist pressure

  Example: “The army pushed back the enemy forces across the river.”

• turn away → physically move away from something, often in disgust

  Example: “She turned away in disgust when she saw the rotten food.”

4. Example Sentences

1. The garrison successfully repulsed the enemy attack and held the fortress

   → The defending soldiers drove back the assault and maintained control of the stronghold.

2. I was completely repulsed by the conditions in the neglected nursing home

   → The state of the poorly maintained care facility disgusted me deeply.

3. The army repulsed wave after wave of invaders throughout the night

   → The military forces drove back repeated attacks until morning.

4. His arrogance and cruelty repulsed everyone who worked with him

   → His pride and unkindness disgusted all his colleagues.

5. She found the idea of eating insects absolutely repulsive

   → The thought of consuming bugs was completely disgusting to her.

6. The smell coming from the drain was repulsive — I nearly vomited

   → The odour from the pipe was so revolting I almost threw up.

7. Viewers were repulsed by the graphic violence in the film

   → Audiences felt intense disgust at the explicit brutality shown in the movie.

8. The coastal defences repulsed the naval invasion before it could land troops

   → The shoreline fortifications drove back the sea-based attack before soldiers could disembark.

9. There’s something deeply repulsive about politicians who lie to the public

   → Something feels profoundly disgusting about elected officials who deceive citizens.

10. I don’t just dislike him — I find him genuinely repulsive

    → My feelings go beyond mere dislike; he actually disgusts me.

5. Personal Examples

1. Some students find grammar drills so tedious that the very sight of a worksheet repulses them — which is why variety in teaching methods matters

   → Certain learners are so put off by repetitive exercises that they recoil from them, making diverse approaches essential.

2. I’m never repulsed by students’ mistakes — errors are evidence of learning, not something to be disgusted by

   → I never feel revulsion toward learner errors because they show progress, not failure.

6. Register: Neutral to Formal

✔ Native usage tips

• The adjective “repulsive” is much more common in everyday speech than the verb “repulse”
• For the disgust meaning, “repulsed by” is slightly formal — in casual speech, people often say “grossed out by” or “disgusted by”
• The military meaning appears in historical writing, news about conflicts, and formal accounts of battles
• “Repulsive” is a strong word — it’s not mild dislike but genuine revulsion; use it when you mean something truly disgusting

✔ Similar expressions / words

• Disgust → more common in everyday speech; repulse sounds stronger and more visceral
• Revolt → very similar for the disgust meaning; “revolting” is perhaps even more common than “repulsive”
• Repel → can mean both “drive back” and “cause disgust”; very close synonym but slightly more common