Turns off

DISGUSTS

Think of a word that means "repulses" and sounds like it could describe flipping a switch the opposite way.

This clue plays on the phrase "turns off" as a double meaning. In one sense, "turns off" can mean to repel or disgust someone, which directly points to the answer "DISGUSTS." The trick is that it’s not about literally switching something off but about the emotional reaction of being put off or disgusted. It’s a clever way to use a common phrase to hint at a less obvious word.