# repent

/ɹɪˈpɛnt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/repent
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to feel remorse

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to feel sincere regret for your past actions and decide to do what is right in the future.

For teachers: to experience sincere remorse or regret for one's past actions or omissions. Often intransitive and followed by the preposition 'of'.

- He truly repented of his cruel words after seeing how much they hurt his friend.
- The prisoner claimed to have repented of his crimes, yet the parole board remained unconvinced of his sudden moral transformation.

### 2. religious sorrow

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to be sorry for your sins and turn away from bad behavior to seek forgiveness.

For teachers: to experience contrition for sin as a moral evil, accompanied by a commitment to amend one's life.

- The preacher called on the people to repent and start a new life.
- In many theological traditions, the sinner must sincerely repent before they can receive absolution from the church.

### 3. creeping plants

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describing a plant that grows by creeping along the ground.

For teachers: describing a plant stem or organism that creeps along the ground or surface, often rooting at intervals.

- The garden was covered in a repent vine that spread quickly across the soil.
- The botanist identified the specimen as a repent species, noting how the stems formed a dense mat over the forest floor.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun in botanical descriptions.

## Examples

- He decided to repent for his past mistakes.
- After years of dishonest business practices, the executive sought to repent by donating his fortune to charity.
- The protagonist's journey is defined by a struggle to truly repent, as he discovers that seeking forgiveness from others is distinct from finding peace within himself.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.