repellent
repellent — adjective
1. so unpleasant or morally shocking that people feel a strong desire to stay away
so unpleasant or morally shocking that people feel a strong desire to stay away or not get involved with a person, situation, or idea.
Sora found the idea of eating live octopus repellent and refused to try it.
repellent + idea / situation as subject
The politician's cruel remarks about poor families were repellent to many voters.
Talia felt that the constant gossip in the office was repellent and changed departments.
There was something repellent about how the landlord ignored the broken heater.
Kwame described the film as repellent because it celebrated violence against innocent people.
- repulsive
stronger physical disgust, often about appearance or smell
- revolting
very strong emotional response, slightly more informal
- objectionable
more formal, focuses on moral or social unacceptability
- abhorrent
formal and intense, implying hatred
用法筆記
This sense expresses a strong emotional reaction rather than a physical effect. Unlike 'repulsive,' which focuses on physical disgust, 'repellent' often targets ideas, behaviour, or situations that feel morally wrong or socially unacceptable.
常見錯誤
2. treated or manufactured in a way that keeps liquids, particularly water, from so
treated or manufactured in a way that keeps liquids, particularly water, from soaking through the material.
Nadia bought a jacket made of water-repellent fabric for her hiking trip in the mountains.
compound: water-repellent + fabric
The company developed a new stain-repellent coating for kitchen tables and work surfaces.
These hiking trousers have a water-repellent surface that keeps you dry in light rain.
Aarav sprayed a repellent treatment on his tent to keep the morning dew out.
The repellent coating on the umbrella made raindrops slide off before they could soak through.
- resistant
broader meaning, not always fully repellent
- waterproof
stronger — completely prevents water from passing through
- impermeable
formal, scientific; nothing can pass through
文法句型
noun + -repellent
用法筆記
Frequently used in compound adjectives such as 'water-repellent,' 'stain-repellent,' and 'dirt-repellent.' The compound form appears before the noun, while 'repellent' alone can follow a linking verb: 'the surface is repellent to water.'
常見錯誤
repellent — noun
1. a chemical or natural substance that keeps insects, animals, or moisture away fr
a chemical or natural substance that keeps insects, animals, or moisture away from a person, object, or area.
Paul applied mosquito repellent to his arms and neck before going into the forest.
apply mosquito repellent to body part
Ziad bought a natural repellent made from citronella oil to keep ants out.
Quinn sprayed insect repellent around the tent to stop mosquitoes from getting inside.
The factory produces a water repellent used to protect outdoor furniture from rain.
Elise carried a small bottle of bear repellent during her hike through the national park.
- deterrent
broader in meaning; can be any measure that discourages
- insecticide
specifically kills insects, not just repels them
- bug spray
informal, usually refers to insect repellent in spray form
- attractant
a substance that draws animals or insects toward it
文法句型
repellent
insect repellent
用法筆記
Types of repellent are usually specified by the target: 'insect repellent,' 'mosquito repellent,' 'water repellent,' 'bear repellent.' The noun is countable when referring to a specific product type ('a good repellent') and uncountable when talking about the substance in general ('a bottle of repellent').