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1. Definition + Rich Everyday Explanation
Repulsive (adjective) = causing intense disgust, revulsion, or strong aversion; extremely unpleasant or offensive.
Repulsive is a powerful word that goes far beyond ordinary dislike. When something is repulsive, it triggers a visceral, almost physical reaction — you want to turn away, cover your nose, leave the room, or distance yourself immediately. It’s the feeling of your stomach turning, your face contorting in disgust.
The word works on two levels: physical and moral.
Physical repulsion relates to the senses. A repulsive smell makes you gag. A repulsive sight makes you look away. Rotting food, overflowing sewage, festering wounds — these trigger instinctive revulsion that’s hardwired into humans as a survival mechanism. We’re programmed to recoil from things that might harm us.
Moral repulsion relates to behaviour and character. A repulsive person isn’t necessarily ugly — they might be cruel, dishonest, or lacking in basic human decency. Repulsive behaviour violates our sense of what’s acceptable. Child abuse is repulsive. Torture is repulsive. Taking pleasure in others’ suffering is repulsive. This meaning captures deep ethical rejection.
The word is unambiguously negative and quite strong. Calling something “unpleasant” or “off-putting” is mild. Calling it “disgusting” is stronger. Calling it “repulsive” is among the most intense expressions of disgust available. It suggests something that offends you at a fundamental level.
Be careful using this word about people — it’s harsh and can be deeply hurtful. Saying someone’s behaviour is repulsive criticises their actions. Saying someone is repulsive attacks their entire being.
Examples from the street:
- “The bathroom was absolutely repulsive — I couldn’t even go in” → the toilet was so disgusting I refused to enter
- “I find his views on women completely repulsive” → his opinions about women disgust me at a fundamental level
- “There was something repulsive about the way he treated the waiter” → his behaviour toward the server was deeply offensive and revealing
2. Most Common Patterns
- repulsive + noun (behaviour/smell/sight/idea/creature) → describing something that causes disgust
- find something/someone repulsive → consider something deeply disgusting
- absolutely/utterly/truly/deeply repulsive → intensifying the disgust
- physically/morally repulsive → disgusting in a bodily or ethical sense
- something repulsive about + noun → identifying a disgusting quality
- repulsive to + person → causing disgust in someone specific
3. Phrasal Verbs
Note: There are no common phrasal verbs directly containing “repulsive” — these are related expressions:
- put off → cause someone to dislike or lose interest in something
Example: “The smell completely put me off my food.”
- turn someone’s stomach → make someone feel sick or disgusted
Example: “The graphic images turned my stomach — I had to look away.”
- gross out → (informal) disgust someone intensely
Example: “That story about the rats totally grossed me out.”
4. Example Sentences
- The repulsive smell from the abandoned fridge made everyone gag
→ The disgusting odour from the neglected appliance caused everyone to retch.
- I find trophy hunting absolutely repulsive — killing animals for sport is wrong
→ I consider killing wildlife for entertainment deeply disgusting on a moral level.
- There was something repulsive about his fake smile and empty flattery
→ His insincere grin and hollow compliments had a quality that triggered instinctive disgust.
- The documentary exposed the repulsive conditions in the factory farms
→ The film revealed the deeply offensive state of industrial animal agriculture.
- His repulsive behaviour at the party ensured nobody would invite him again
→ His disgusting conduct at the gathering guaranteed he’d never be welcomed back.
- She found the idea of eating live octopus utterly repulsive
→ The thought of consuming a living creature disgusted her completely.
- The villain in the novel is morally repulsive yet strangely compelling
→ The antagonist is ethically disgusting but somehow fascinating to read about.
- The repulsive creature crawled out from under the rock
→ The revolting animal emerged from beneath the stone.
- What he did to those people was truly repulsive — there’s no excuse
→ His actions toward those individuals were genuinely disgusting and cannot be justified.
- The meat had turned repulsive after being left out in the heat
→ The flesh had become revolting after sitting unrefrigerated in warm conditions.
5. Personal Examples
- Mocking students for their pronunciation or mistakes is repulsive behaviour that destroys confidence and trust
→ Ridiculing learners for errors is deeply offensive conduct that damages their self-belief and relationship with learning.
- Nothing is more repulsive to me than the attitude that some languages are “better” than others — every language is equally valid
→ Few things disgust me more than the belief that certain languages have more worth than others.
6. Register: Neutral to Formal
✔ Native usage tips
- “Repulsive” is strong — don’t use it for mild dislikes; reserve it for things that genuinely disgust you
- In casual speech, “disgusting,” “revolting,” and “gross” are more common; “repulsive” sounds slightly more formal or literary
- Calling a person repulsive is very harsh — it’s safer to criticise their behaviour as repulsive rather than attacking them directly
- The word often appears in reviews, journalism, and descriptions of extreme situations where normal words feel inadequate
✔ Similar expressions / words
- Disgusting → more common in everyday speech; repulsive is slightly stronger and more formal
- Revolting → very close synonym; perhaps slightly more casual than repulsive
- Vile → similar intensity; often emphasises moral wickedness alongside physical disgust
