rappelled also rappeled; rappelling also rappeling
: 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 2024 closing ceremony also featured a stunt from actor Tom Cruise, who rappelled down the stadium in Paris, shook hands with athletes, grabbed the Olympics flag, attached it to the back of his motorcycle, and drove off.
—
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026
The vacation spots on this list are romantic, but they’re also designed for duo travel—whether that looks like pairing up with a partner to rappel down canyons in Dominica, trying twice as many dishes on a pintxo crawl in San Sebastian, or co-marveling at South African sunsets.
—Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Etherington’s team responded by rappelling the entire route, hand-cleaning every potential handhold with towels and baby wipes.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
To reach the bottom, the two had to stop at each drop-off, affix safety ropes, and then rappel down a cliff.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rappel
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Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026
The vacation spots on this list are romantic, but they’re also designed for duo travel—whether that looks like pairing up with a partner to rappel down canyons in Dominica, trying twice as many dishes on a pintxo crawl in San Sebastian, or co-marveling at South African sunsets.
—Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Etherington’s team responded by rappelling the entire route, hand-cleaning every potential handhold with towels and baby wipes.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
To reach the bottom, the two had to stop at each drop-off, affix safety ropes, and then rappel down a cliff.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rappel
Cite this Entry
“Rappel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rappel. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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rappel
verb
rap·pel
rə-ˈpel 
ra-
rappelled also rappeled; rappelling also rappeling
: to descend (as from a cliff) by sliding down a rope
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