revulsive: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Literary, Medical (historical)
Quick answer
What does “revulsive” mean?
Causing revulsion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Causing revulsion; producing a feeling of intense distaste or disgust.
Relating to the action or property of drawing something away, especially in a medical context (e.g., a revulsive agent or therapy).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British medical/archaic contexts.
Connotations
Equally formal and rare in both varieties. Carries a more visceral, sometimes physical, sense of disgust than 'repulsive'.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern speech and writing for both. Frequency is essentially the same.
Grammar
How to Use “revulsive” in a Sentence
[be] + [revulsive] + to [person/observer]find [something] + [revulsive]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “revulsive” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [None - 'revulsive' is not a verb. The related verb is 'revolt'.]
American English
- [None - 'revulsive' is not a verb. The related verb is 'revolt'.]
adverb
British English
- [None - 'revulsively' is theoretically possible but extraordinarily rare.]
American English
- [None - 'revulsively' is theoretically possible but extraordinarily rare.]
adjective
British English
- The graphic details of the crime were utterly revulsive to the jury.
- In 19th-century medicine, a revulsive poultice was applied to draw out the humours.
American English
- She found his hypocrisy morally revulsive.
- The film's climax was intentionally revulsive, aiming to shock the audience.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, philosophy (ethics), or history of medicine. 'The novel's depiction of poverty was morally revulsive to Victorian sensibilities.'
Everyday
Virtually never used; 'disgusting' or 'gross' are standard.
Technical
Historical medical term for an agent (like a mustard plaster) that draws blood or inflammation to the surface (a counter-irritant).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “revulsive”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “revulsive”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “revulsive”
- Confusing 'revulsive' with the much more common 'repulsive'.
- Using it in casual contexts where 'disgusting' is appropriate.
- Mispronouncing as /riːˈvʌlsɪv/ (with a long 'ee' sound).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Essentially yes, but it's a much stronger, more formal, and rarer synonym. It implies a powerful, often physical, feeling of revulsion.
'Repulsive' is more common and often describes an active quality that drives people away. 'Revulsive' focuses more on the internal feeling of intense disgust it causes in someone. They are closely related and often interchangeable, but 'revulsive' is more specific to the reaction.
Almost never in everyday conversation. It's most appropriate in formal writing, literary analysis, or when discussing historical medicine. Using 'disgusting', 'repulsive', or 'revolting' is almost always better for clear communication.
Yes, the noun is 'revulsion'. 'Revulsive' is the adjective form describing something that causes revulsion.
Causing revulsion.
Revulsive is usually formal, literary, medical (historical) in register.
Revulsive: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈvʌlsɪv/, and in American English it is pronounced /rəˈvəlsɪv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: REVULSIVE makes you want to REVOLT. Both words share the 're-v-' root and a sense of violent rejection.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISGUST IS A PHYSICAL FORCE THAT REPELS. GOOD IS ATTRACTIVE; BAD/EVIL IS REPULSIVE/REVULSIVE.
Practice
Quiz
In a historical medical context, a 'revulsive' treatment was one that: