Meaning & use
penitent
Feeling or showing genuine sorrow and regret for having done wrong.
See it in a sentence
The penitent teenager apologized to his sister and offered to fix the broken vase.
Standing before the judge, the penitent man admitted his mistake and asked for leniency.
A note on using this word
Penitent implies an active desire to make amends, not merely feeling sorry; it is common in religious or formal contexts.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
unrepentant
Another way to use it
2. noun
A person who feels or expresses sorrow for wrongdoing, especially in religious confession.
The penitent knelt quietly at the altar to confess his sins.
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