repentant

adjective

re·​pen·​tant ri-ˈpen-tᵊnt How to pronounce repentant (audio)
1
: experiencing repentance : penitent
2
: expressive of repentance
repentantly adverb

Examples of repentant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In very little time, Lin’s bad luck takes him to one of Bombay’s slums and attracts the attention of smooth-talking gangster Khader Khan (Alexander Siddig), who views the repentant outsider as either a son or a pawn or an opportunity to make people like me compare the plot of Shantaram to Shogun. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Oct. 2022 Portrayed as a repentant man who has turned over a new leaf after being inspired by his favorite Bible passage 1 Corinthians 5:17, Edima feels compelled to take revenge for his son’s death after failing to convince authorities his son is innocent. Chinedu Asadu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023 But the brother’s sweetheart, Abra, succeeds in building a bridge between the stricken father and the repentant son. Jack Moffitt, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2023 Growing Iranian influence in strategic Deir al-Zour province aims at projecting Tehran’s power across the region BEIRUT — When the Syrian military opened offices in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour last month to enlist former rebels and repentant army defectors, almost no one showed up. Washington Post, 28 Jan. 2022 Reliable clients — repentant or bored — have stopped calling. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 9 May 2023 She’s stuck at the party, which plays as background to David’s repentant sojourn through an alluring yet decaying desert landscape. Robert Daniels, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2022 Their fates unknown, more than 1,700 Ukrainian fighters were in Russian custody after surrendering in the conquered city of Mariupol, Moscow said — even as Ukraine claimed battlefield gains elsewhere and heard a repentant confession from a Russian solider in the country’s first war crimes trial. Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2022 Aaron, too, is feeling repentant. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 23 Nov. 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of repentant was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near repentant

Cite this Entry

“Repentant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repentant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

repentant

adjective
re·​pen·​tant ri-ˈpent-ᵊnt How to pronounce repentant (audio)
: feeling or showing repentance
repentantly adverb

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