repulsion

noun

re·​pul·​sion ri-ˈpəl-shən 

1

: the action of repulsing : the state of being repulsed

2

: the action of repelling : the force with which bodies, particles, or like forces repel one another

3

: a feeling of aversion : repugnance

Synonyms

• aversion
• disgust
• distaste
• horror
• loathing
• nausea
• repugnance
• revulsion

Examples of repulsion in a Sentence

I read about what happened with a feeling of shock and repulsion.

She felt a repulsion for politics.

a repulsion between the particles

their successful repulsion of the attack

Recent Examples on the Web

But whether your takeaway is repulsion or affection or newfound understanding or the desire to seek out an Instagram-free existence in the wilderness, Social Studies will stick with you. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2024

The two share a dance of desire and repulsion for nearly three hours as Lee wrestles with drug addiction and heroin withdrawal, and eventually brings Gene along on a wild goose chase through South America to seek out yagé, more commonly known as ayahuasca. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Sep. 2024

Not to mention friction, drag and heat, as the train effectively floats in the air, touching nothing at all, powered and levitated by magnetic repulsion. —New Atlas, 9 Aug. 2024

In atoms, as this law forces additional electrons to go into higher- and higher-energy states (also called orbitals), the kinetic energy often ends up being more important than the electron-electron repulsion. —Douglas Natelson, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English repulsioun, borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French repulcion, repulsion, borrowed from Medieval Latin repulsiōn, repulsiō "action of driving away or expelling" (Late Latin, "refutation"), derivative, with the suffix of verbal action -tiōn-, -tiō, of Latin repellere "to push away, drive back, fend off " (with -s- from past participle and verbal noun repulsus) — more at repel

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

repulsion

noun

re·​pul·​sion ri-ˈpəl-shən 

1

: the action of repulsing : the state of being repulsed

2

: the force with which bodies, particles, or like forces repel one another

3

: a feeling of great dislike : repugnance

Medical Definition

repulsion

noun

re·​pul·​sion ri-ˈpəl-shən 

: the tendency of some linked genetic characters to be inherited separately because a dominant allele for each character occurs on the same chromosome as a recessive allele of the other compare coupling sense 2