repulse
C1-C2 / Low frequency in everyday speech, more common in formal, military, or literary contexts.Formal, literary, military, psychological.
Definition
Meaning
to drive back or reject with force, distaste, or coldness.
In a psychological context, it can mean to cause intense aversion or disgust. Militarily, it means to successfully defeat and drive back an attack.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries a strong connotation of forceful, often definitive, rejection. More intense than 'reject' or 'refuse'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly more common in UK military historical narratives.
Connotations
Shared connotation of strong distaste or decisive military action.
Frequency
Low frequency in both dialects, understood but rarely used in casual conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] repulsed [Object][Subject] was repulsed by [Object/Event]The [attack/advance] was repulsed.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Subject] met with a firm repulse.”
- “The idea was repulsed out of hand.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly 'The board repulsed the hostile takeover bid.'
Academic
Used in history (military), psychology, and literature to describe rejection or aversion.
Everyday
Very rare. 'His arrogant manner repulses me.' would be considered quite formal/intense.
Technical
Military science: to drive back an enemy assault. Physics/engineering: less common synonym for repel.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The garrison repulsed the night attack with heavy losses for the assailants.
- She was repulsed by the vulgarity of his proposal.
American English
- Marines repulsed the enemy advance along the ridge.
- The graphic images in the documentary repulsed many viewers.
adverb
British English
- (Extremely rare, typically not used) He looked at her repulsively.
American English
- (Extremely rare, typically not used) She reacted repulsively to the news.
adjective
British English
- The repulse attack left the field littered with debris.
- He gave her a look of repulse disdain.
American English
- After the repulse action, the unit regrouped.
- Her expression was one of pure repulse.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The strong smell repulsed him.
- The army repulsed the attack.
- She was utterly repulsed by his dishonest behaviour.
- Attempts to change the policy were firmly repulsed by the committee.
- The very idea of exploiting the vulnerable repulses me on a fundamental level.
- Diplomatic overtures were repulsed, leading to a hardening of positions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE-PULSE. A 'pulse' pushes blood; to 'repulse' is to PUSH BACK.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS/PEOPLE ARE FORCES. An unwelcome force is met with an equal and opposite force (repulsion).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить автоматически как 'репульс' (этого слова нет). Отвергать, отталкивать, отбивать - более точные аналоги в зависимости от контекста.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'repulse' with 'repel' (very close, but 'repulse' is often a single, definitive action; 'repel' can be continuous).
- Using it as a common synonym for 'dislike' (it is much stronger).
- Incorrect: 'I repulse the offer.' (Better: 'I reject/refuse the offer.').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'repulse' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word. 'Reject', 'drive back', or 'disgust' are more common in everyday language.
They are very close synonyms. 'Repulse' often implies a single, successful act of driving back or rejecting. 'Repel' can be more general and continuous (e.g., 'The coating repels water'). 'Repulse' also has a stronger emotional connotation of disgust.
Yes, but it's rare. The noun form is 'repulsion' for the feeling, and 'repulse' as a noun is almost exclusively military (e.g., 'the repulse of the attack').
Yes, this is a standard and formal way to express strong disgust or aversion (e.g., 'I feel repulsed by animal cruelty').