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# repulsive

adjective (repulsive; more repulsive, most repulsive)

«repulsive» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Very unpleasant, making you feel sick or disgusted. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#m1)
2. (science) Pushing away, as with the force between two like magnetic poles; this sense is rare in school, where «repel» is used. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories it describes horrible monsters, smells or behaviour. In everyday life children use it for food or slime they hate. Calling a person repulsive is hurtful. In science «repulsive force» is a push between magnets. Phrases: «a repulsive smell», «utterly repulsive».

### Examples

- The bin smelt repulsive after a week in the sun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x1)
- The witch had a repulsive laugh. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x2)
- Bullying is repulsive behaviour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x3)
- I find cold rice pudding repulsive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x4)
- Like poles of magnets feel a repulsive force. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x5)
- The troll's cave was full of repulsive slime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x6)
- Seeing herself thus transformed into so repulsive an object, Medusa fled from her home, never to return. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/#x7)

### Note

Strong word; «disgusting» is similar. Verb: «repel»; noun: «repulsion». Avoid using it about people's looks — it is unkind.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «repulsive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/repulsive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«repulsive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/repulsive.html) on Mova free.