Crossword Genius

Fight off rising outcast (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

repel

'fight off' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'rising outcast' is the wordplay.
'rising' shows that the letters should be reversed in order (going up in a down clue).
'outcast' becomes 'leper' (leper is a kind of outcast).
'leper' in reverse letter order is 'REPEL'.

(Other definitions for repel that I've seen before include "Fight off - drive back" , "Drive back like leper" , "Drive back or away" , "Drive back - revolt" , "give you the creeps" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.