Repulsive (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Offensive to the mind; "an abhorrent deed"; "the obscene massacre at Wounded Knee"; "morally repugnant customs"; "repulsive behavior"; "the most repulsive character in recent novels".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The politician's involvement in the bribery scandal was repulsive to many of her former supporters.
- The graphic details of the crime scene were so repulsive that even the seasoned detectives were shaken.
- The racist remarks made by the celebrity were widely condemned as repulsive and unacceptable.
- The thought of eating insects was repulsive to her, despite her friends' enthusiasm for the exotic delicacy.
- The dictator's brutal suppression of dissent was a repulsive display of authoritarian power.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Possessing the ability to repel; "a repulsive force".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Magnetic fields have a repulsive effect on certain metals, causing them to be pushed away.
- The electrons in the atoms of two adjacent objects experience a repulsive force, keeping them from getting too close.
- In some systems, the attractive force between two objects can be overcome by a repulsive force that becomes dominant at shorter distances.
- A negatively charged particle will experience a repulsive force when it is near another negatively charged particle.
- Like charges produce a repulsive force that causes them to move apart from one another.
Antonyms
Related Words
Meaning 3
So extremely ugly as to be terrifying; "a hideous scar"; "a repulsive mask".
Classification
All adjective clusters.