impenitent

adjective

im·​pen·​i·​tent (ˌ)im-ˈpe-nə-tənt How to pronounce impenitent (audio)
: not penitent
impenitently adverb

Examples of impenitent in a Sentence

an impenitent criminal who said he'd do it all over again, given the chance
Recent Examples on the Web Just look at the impenitent subject: the deep furrow between his eyebrows and the one that contours his cheek seem to want to connect and form a kind of scar in shadow. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2023 But they were also imbued with a sense of impenitent joy that was paramount to the show. Tara Gonzalez, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impenitent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin impaenitent-, impaenitens, from Latin in- + paenitent-, paenitens penitent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impenitent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near impenitent

Cite this Entry

“Impenitent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impenitent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

impenitent

adjective
im·​pen·​i·​tent (ˈ)im-ˈpen-ə-tənt How to pronounce impenitent (audio)
: not sorry for having done wrong
impenitently adverb

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