/rɪˈpʌlʃən/
Say it backRepulsion refers to a feeling of intense aversion or the force that pushes objects apart in physics. It can describe a strong, negative emotional response or a physical phenomenon where like charges push away. The term encompasses both subjective emotion and objective force, depending on context.
"The candidate felt repulsion at the sight of the covered dishes."
"In physics, electrons experience repulsion due to their negative charges."
"Her repulsion toward the proposal was evident in her cautious phrasing."
Say re-PUL-sion with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: rɪˈpʌl.ʃən. Focus on the /ʌ/ in the second syllable and the /ʃ/ in the third. Tip: keep the 'er' sound light, then punch the stressed syllable, and finish with a soft /ən/.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable (RE-pulsion) and blending /pju/ or mispronouncing the /ʌ/ as /æ/. Another frequent slip is pronouncing the final /n/ as a nasalized vowel. Correct by pressing the nucleus of the second syllable with a clear /ʌ/ and then tailing with a crisp /n/.
In US and UK, the main stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel quality differs: US typically has /ɪ/ in the first vowel, /ʌ/ in the second, and a longer /ʃən/; UK may have slightly tenser /ɜː/ vs /ʌ/ and a clipped final /ən/. AU tends to a flatter intonation with similar vowel values to US but more relaxed jaw tension.
Its multisyllabic rhythm with a stressed mid syllable and a final unstressed syllable can challenge non-native speakers. The cluster /ˈpʌl/ requires precise lip rounding and a short, crisp /ʃ/ before the /ən/. The small vowel contrasts (/ɪ/ vs /ʌ/) and the final /ən/ can be subtle, making consistency tricky.
The transition from the stressed /ˈpʌl/ to the /ʃən/ can blur if you don’t separate the /l/ and the /ʃ/. Keep a brief pause or light separation between the syllables to ensure clean /l/ and /ʃ/ articulation, avoiding a muddled /pʊlˈʃən/.
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US: emphasize rhotics and a darker /ɹ/ in connected speech; /ɪ/ and /ʌ/ may be merged in some dialects—keep them distinct. UK: less rhoticity; sharper /ʌ/ realization; more clipped /t͡s/ in surrounding words; AU: flatter mouth, longer vowel durations, relaxed jaw; maintain clear /ʃən/ without overemphasizing alveolars.
Repulsion comes from the Latin repulsio, from repulsus, the past participle of repellere meaning to drive back or push away. The root repel- means to drive back, push away, or reject, and the suffix -ion marks the action or condition. The term entered English via Late Latin and early modern usage, with repulsion originally denoting a pushing back or repelling force in physical or moral senses. By the 18th and 19th centuries, repulsion took on a broader scientific nuance in physics to describe the force that causes like charges to separate, as detailed in early electromagnetism literature. In medical or colloquial usage, repulsion describes a strong emotional recoil. First known appearances in English texts appeared in scientific and philosophical writings during the 17th–18th centuries, aligning with the era’s explorations of force, attraction, and repulsion in natural philosophy. Over time, the word's semantic field widened to cover social aversion and moral repugnance, while retaining its core sense of pushing away or shrinking from something perceived as undesirable.
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Help others use "repulsion" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "repulsion" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "repulsion" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "repulsion"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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