rappel

verb

rap·​pel rə-ˈpel 

ra-

rappelled also rappeled; rappelling also rappeling

intransitive verb

: to descend (as from a cliff) by sliding down a rope passed under one thigh, across the body, and over the opposite shoulder or through a special friction device

rappel noun

Examples of rappel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The equipment was put to use in an overnight raid in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, when agents clad in tactical gear rappelled from a Black Hawk helicopter and burst through the windows of an apartment building to pull families from their homes. —Andy Rose 19 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

Masked men rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter in the middle of the night onto an apartment building. —Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025

In it, his character evades deadly hunters by jumping out a hotel window and then rappelling down the side of a building while wearing barely a stitch. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025

Their efforts have included agents rappelling from Black Hawk helicopters to raid an apartment building in the middle of the night and masked agents chasing people in the heart of Chicago's Mexican community. —Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, recall, from Old French rapel, from rapeler to recall, from re- + apeler to appeal, call — more at appeal

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rappel

• appal
• apple
• chapel
• dapple
• grapple
• pineapple

Kids Definition

rappel

verb

rap·​pel rə-ˈpel 

ra-

rappelled also rappeled; rappelling also rappeling

: to descend (as from a cliff) by sliding down a rope