Meaning & use

repentance

noun·Advanced

Sincere regret for wrongdoing, along with a genuine wish to change one's behavior.

See it in a sentence

He showed true repentance by apologizing to everyone he had hurt.

The sermon focused on repentance as the first step toward forgiveness.

A note on using this word

"Repentance" implies both feeling sorry and intending to change, unlike "regret," which can be purely emotional.

Words with a similar meaning

remorsecontrition

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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