Ekeln

Ekeln is a German verb meaning to cause disgust or to feel disgust. The reflexive form sich ekeln is used to express that someone is repulsed by something. In practice, ekeln can be transitive as in etwas ekelt jemanden (something disgusts someone) and intransitive with reflexive or impersonal use as in Es ekelt mich (it disgusts me) or Ich ekle mich vor etwas (I am repulsed by something).

Common constructions include:

- etwas ekelt jemanden: Der Gestank ekelt mich. (The stench disgusts me.)

- sich vor etwas ekeln: Ich ekle mich vor Spinnen. (I am repulsed by spiders.)

- es ekelt jemanden: Es ekelt mich vor dem Anblick. (The sight disgusts me.)

The related adjective ekelig means disgusting or repulsive, and the noun Ekel denotes disgust or revulsion. The term is widely used in everyday German to describe unpleasant sensory experiences, reactions to spoiled or unhygienic conditions, or moral/esthetic revulsion.

Etymology and cognates: The verb ekeln derives from the same root as the noun Ekel. The exact formation and earliest attestations are found in early modern German, with the noun Ekel well established as the concept of revulsion. The pair Ekeln/Ekel is part of a broader Germanic family of words related to disgust and repulsion.

In usage, ekeln is neutral in tone and common in both spoken and written German. It is distinct from stronger or more vulgar terms for disgust and is suitable for descriptive, clinical, or informal contexts.