repent
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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repents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
repented,
past participle, past
-
repenting
present participle
-
to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often followed byof ).
He repented after his thoughtless act.
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to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.
verb (used with object)
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repents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
repented,
past participle, past
-
repenting
present participle
-
to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition.
to repent one's injustice to another.
-
to feel sorry for; regret.
to repent an imprudent act.
adjective
verb
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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repentsimple
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repentssimple
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have repentedperfect
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has repentedperfect
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am repentingprogressive
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are repentingprogressive
-
is repentingprogressive
-
have been repentingperfect progressive
-
has been repentingperfect progressive
Past
-
repentedsimple
-
had repentedperfect
-
was repentingprogressive
-
were repentingprogressive
-
had been repentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of repent1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English repenten, from Old French repentir, from re- re- + pentir “to feel sorrow” (from Latin paenitēre “to regret, be sorry”; see penitent)
Origin of repent2
First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin rēpent- stem of rēpēns “crawling,” present participle of rēpere “to crawl, creep”; perhaps akin to serpere “to creep, crawl” ( see serpent ( def. ))
Explanation
The verb repent means "to feel sorry for something you've done." When you repent, you acknowledge what you did and vow to change your ways. The word repent comes from the Old French word repentir, which means, "to feel regret for sins or crimes." If you cheat on an exam in school, and feel guilty afterwards, you might repent for your bad behavior by confessing to your teacher. The verb repent is often used in a religious context: when you repent, you try to make up for what you've done, promise to avoid sin in the future and devote yourself to God.
Vocabulary lists containing repent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If you did something good, rejoice, something bad, repent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
But not everyone accepted the Church's conclusions or the need to repent.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
He urged "those who organise death routes, traffic in human beings" to "stop and repent", raising his voice for emphasis as the crowd applauded.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
For these reasons, and for all my aforementioned principles about allowing people to repent for their mistakes, I don’t think Platner should drop out of the race.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
When Sarai told him what Eril-Fane had done, he’d believed the Godslayer must repent of it now.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
The assumption is that Brady surely repents of the decision to return and that he is “a shell of himself,” as commentator Rex Ryan hazarded, and indeed he seems thin to the point of sickness.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 26, 2022
Welby, spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans, called for a "global financial architecture which repents of its past sins", including changes in tax rules to promote green activity.
From Reuters ● Oct. 4, 2021
That particular reality is redeemed in narrative terms — Scrooge repents and Tiny Tim doesn't die after all — but the observation stands, and we all know how the story ends in the long run.
From Salon ● Jan. 3, 2021
After Everyman repents of his sins, Good Deeds does gather her strength, and she calls on Beauty, Discretion, Strength, Knowledge, and Five Wits to join them.
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 26, 2017
Our coy little betrothed repents her treatment of poor Raoul yesterday, eh?
From Saint Michael A Romance by E. T. C. (Edward Theodore Chalmers) Werner
In several cases, countries that arrived at trade deals with the U.S. later repented because their deals were too one-sided, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026
John Paul visited him in prison in December 1983, where he repented for the crime but did not specify his motives.
From Barron's ● Nov. 27, 2025
At the time of his 2024 conversion, Brand declared that he had repented of his past and that he would "acknowledge that I am in a battle against myself."
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2025
He said he had since "personally repented for this error," adding: "Looking back, I realise that I should have respectfully declined the request at the time."
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2023
She quickly repented, remembering too late that Diana had no family waiting to see her.
From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson
He spoke of Sauron repenting “if only out of fear.”
From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2022
So, there’s a deeper meditation where you are repenting, not only for him but for the dynamics that are happening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2022
Earlier this month, the National Association of Evangelicals issued a statement repenting for shortcomings in combating poverty and racial inequality.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 2020
At one moment—around the time of his mother’s death—he is pulled back toward his inherited faith, repenting his lust for worldly success and begging forgiveness from God.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 14, 2019
And the manufacturers and importers and salesmen down on their knees, repenting in public, conical paper hats like dunce hats on their heads, shame printed on them in red.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
