# repel vs repent

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### repel
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈpɛl/ · frequency rank #22,488*
To turn (someone) away from a privilege, right, job, etc.

### repent
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈpɛnt/ · frequency rank #18,416*
To feel pain, sorrow, or regret for what one has done or omitted to do; the cause for repenting may be indicated with "of".

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/repel-vs-repent