Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Causing disgust or strong aversion: Something that is repellent is extremely unpleasant, offensive, or disgusting, causing a strong desire to avoid it.
   • Resistant to a specific substance, especially water: A material described as repellent has the property of causing liquids (like water) to run off its surface rather than be absorbed.

2. Noun:

   • A substance that drives away or deters something: A repellent is a chemical or other agent used to keep something, such as insects or animals, away.
   • Something that repels or discourages: In a more general sense, a repellent can be any factor or quality that causes aversion or acts as a deterrent.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The idea of eating insects is repellent to many people.
  • He wore a repellent jacket that kept him dry in the heavy rain.
• Noun:
  • We applied mosquito repellent before going on the hike.
  • His arrogance was a powerful repellent to potential friends.

Advanced Usage

• "Water-repellent" (Compound Adjective): Describes a material treated or designed to resist water penetration. This is a common compound form.
  • The tent is made from a water-repellent fabric.
• Acting as a repellent force: Used figuratively to describe an abstract quality that drives people away.
  • The candidate's extreme views served as a repellent to moderate voters.

Variants and Related Words

• Repel (Verb): To drive or force back; to cause aversion or disgust.
  • The citronella candles help repel mosquitoes.
• Repellence / Repellency (Noun): The quality or power of repelling.
  • The repellency of the coating was tested in the lab.
• Repellently (Adverb): In a repellent manner.
  • The villain was repellently cruel.

Synonyms

• Adjective (for causing disgust): Revolting, disgusting, loathsome, offensive, repulsive.
• Adjective (for resistance): Impervious, resistant, proof (as in waterproof).
• Noun: Deterrent, discouragement.

Related Phrases

• Insect repellent: A specific type of substance applied to skin or clothing to keep insects away.
  • Don't forget to pack the insect repellent for the camping trip.
• Act as a repellent: To function as something that deters.
  • The high cost can act as a repellent for new customers.

Idioms

• A repellent personality: A character or manner that is so unpleasant it pushes others away.
  • His constant negativity gave him a repellent personality that isolated him from colleagues.

Adjective

1. incapable of absorbing or mixing with
   • a water-repellent fabric
   • plastic highly resistant to steam and water
2. highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
   • a disgusting smell
   • distasteful language
   • a loathsome disease
   • the idea of eating meat is repellent to me
   • revolting food
   • a wicked stench
3. serving or tending to repel
   • he became rebarbative and prickly and spiteful
   • I find his obsequiousness repellent

Noun

1. the power to repel
   • she knew many repellents to his advances
2. a chemical substance that repels animals
3. a compound with which fabrics are treated to repel water