Repent means to feel sorry for something you did and wish you had not done it. In religiousconnected with faith, worship, or matters about God use, it can also mean to turn away from sinan action believed to be wrong by religious rules and seek forgivenessthe act of stopping anger and pardoning someone.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /rɪˈpɛnt/
Easy pronunciation: ri-PENT (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable.
Use the sense meaning to feel remorse for a past action, not the religious sense of turning away from sin.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Repent Meaning
to feel sorry about a past action
Part of speech: verb
Definition: feel remorse for something you did and wish you had done differently
Example: He repented after lying to his friend.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- regret — The closest everyday synonym for feeling sorry about a past action.
- rue — A less common, more formal word meaning to feel regret or remorse.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Repent
Meaning 2
to reject wrongdoing and seek forgiveness
Part of speech: verb
Definition: turn away from sin or do penance
Example: The preacher urged the crowd to repent and change their ways.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- atone — Related to making up for wrongdoing, though it is not always a direct substitute for repent.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Repent Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- regret
- rue
turn away from sin or do penance
- atone
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Repent can mean more than just feeling bad: in religious contexts, it often includes changing your behavior or seeking forgiveness.
- Do not use atone as a direct synonym for repent in the everyday sense of simply feeling sorry.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does repent mean?
Repent means to feel sorry for something you did and wish you had done differently. In religious contexts, it can also mean to turn away from sin and seek forgiveness.
What is a simple synonym for repent?
A simple synonym for the everyday meaning is regret.
Is atone the same as repent?
Not exactly. Atone is more about making up for wrongdoing, while repent is often about feeling remorse or turning away from sin.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
