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1. Highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
   "a repelling smell";
   - disgusting, disgustful [archaic], distasteful, foul, loathly, loathsome, repellent, repellant, revolting, skanky, wicked, yucky, loathful [archaic], yukky

1. Cause to move back by force or influence
   "repel the enemy";
   - drive, repulse, force back, push back, beat back
    
2. Be repellent to; cause aversion in
   - repulse
    
3. Force or drive back
   "repel the attacker";
   - repulse, fight off, rebuff, drive back
    
4. Reject outright and bluntly
   "She repelled his proposal";
   - rebuff, snub, stiff [N. Amer]
    
5. Fill with distaste
   "This spoilt food repels me";
   - disgust, gross out, revolt

See also: offensive

Type of: defend, disdain, displease, dispute, excite, fight, fight back, fight down, force, freeze off, oppose, pooh-pooh, push, reject, scorn, spurn, stimulate, stir, turn down

Antonym: attract

Encyclopedia: Repel