What does repulsed mean?
“Repulsed” means feeling or causing intense disgust, horror, or aversion. People describe themselves as being repulsed when something is so unpleasant, shocking, or morally objectionable that they want to withdraw from it. The word can also describe a physical act of driving something away, as in an army repelling an attack, although this sense is less common in ordinary conversation. It is more emotionally forceful than “disliked” and often suggests a stronger, more visceral reaction than “disappointed” or “annoyed.” In its figurative uses, “repulsed” can refer to a person’s attitude toward an idea, lifestyle, or social custom. The related adjective “repulsive” describes something that causes such disgust, while “repulsion” names the feeling of disgust or the act of driving something away. Knowing these related forms helps distinguish the verb’s emotional and physical meanings.
verbTo feel or express a strong feeling of disgust or aversion toward someone or something. It can also mean to push away physically or drive back.
- To feel or express intense disgust or aversion toward someone or something.
- To drive someone or something away physically or psychologically.
- To cause a feeling of disgust or aversion in someone.
"She was repulsed by the smell of the old cheese."
"The prospect of another crowded train repulsed him."
"The fort's defenses were designed to repel any approaching enemy."
To be repulsed is to feel that something has crossed a boundary of acceptability so strongly that you instinctively want to move away.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does repulsed come from?
The verb comes from the Latin “repellere,” formed from “re-,” meaning back or away, and “pellere,” meaning to drive or push. In English, “repel” originally referred to driving back an attacker or keeping something away, and the word later developed the figurative sense of arousing disgust or aversion. The same Latin root produced related forms including “repulsion,” “repulsive,” and “repellent.”
Related word forms
How repulsed is actually used
In its most common emotional sense, the word is strongly negative and usually describes a reaction of disgust, horror, or moral aversion. It is more forceful than simply disliking something, and its physical sense is less common in everyday use.
Easily confused with repulsed
“Repel” is the base verb, while “repulsed” is its past-tense and past-participle form.
“Repulsed” often emphasizes intense disgust or aversion, whereas “revolved” can mean rotated or, in a historical sense, rebelled.