repugnant

re·pug·nant
R1E1P3U1G2N1A1N1T1
/ɹɪˈpʌɡnənt/

adjective

Offensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion.

“a repugnant condition”

Similar
abhorrentdetestableobscenerepulsiveoffensive
OriginMiddle English repugnaunt ← Old French repugnant ← Latin repugnans →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectiverepugnant (comparative more repugnant, superlative most repugnant)

comparative more repugnant · superlative most repugnant

  1. Offensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion.

    Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven conscious of his fleeting time here

    2006, “Right in Two”, in 10,000 Days, performed by Tool
  2. lawOpposed or in conflict.

    a repugnant condition

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveoffensive to the mind

Similar
abhorrentdetestableobscenerepulsiveoffensive
Also see
abhorrentcriminaldetestablehostileobscenerepulsiveunpartialyechyyucky

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinrepugnans
  2. Old Frenchrepugnant
  3. Middle Englishrepugnaunt
  4. Englishrepugnant

From Middle English repugnaunt, from Old French repugnant, borrowed from Latin repugnans, present participle of repugnare (“to oppose, to fight against”), from re- (“back, against”) + pugnare (“to fight”); see pugnacious. By surface analysis, re- + Latin pugn + -ant.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian противен, отблъскващ
  • противен (protiven)offensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • отблъскващ (otblăskvašt)offensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • противопоставящ се (protivopostavjašt se)(law) opposed or in conflict
Czech odporný
  • odpornýoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Dutch verwerpelijk
  • verwerpelijkoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Finnish vastenmielinen, iljettävä
  • vastenmielinenoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • iljettäväoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • inhottavaoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
French répugnant, repoussant
  • répugnantoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • repoussantoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
German abstoßend, widerlich
  • abstoßendoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • widerlichoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • widerwärtigoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • abscheulichoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • ekligoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • ekelhaftoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • gräßlichoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • gräulichoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • scheußlichoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • verabscheuenswürdigoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • widerstrebend(law) opposed or in conflict
  • fremdartig(law) opposed or in conflict
Hungarian visszataszító, viszolyogtató
  • visszataszítóoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • viszolyogtatóoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Irish colach, colúil
  • colachoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • colúiloffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • cradhscalachoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • déistineachoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • míthaitneamhachoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • samhnasachoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • aimhréireach(law) opposed or in conflict
  • in aghaidh(law) opposed or in conflict
  • contrártha(law) opposed or in conflict
Italian aborrevole, ripugnante
  • aborrevoleoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • ripugnanteoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Māori whakarihariha, whakarikarika
  • whakariharihaoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • whakarikarikaoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • whakahouhouoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • whakaweriwerioffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Portuguese repugnante
  • repugnanteoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Romanian repugnant
  • repugnantoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Russian отврати́тельный, отта́лкивающий
  • отврати́тельный (otvratítelʹnyj)offensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • отта́лкивающий (ottálkivajuščij)offensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Spanish repugnante
  • repugnanteoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Swedish motbjudande, motstridig
  • motbjudandeoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
  • motstridig(law) opposed or in conflict
Turkish uyuz
  • uyuzoffensive or repulsive; arousing disgust or aversion
Cite this entry
APA

repugnant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repugnant

MLA

“repugnant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repugnant. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “repugnant,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repugnant.

Source: repugnant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.