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Prepositions after verbs

Repent of or repent for

Repent is most commonly followed by of before the thing someone regrets. Repent for is uncommon and usually avoided in modern standard English.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows repent?

Use repent of something to mean feel regret or remorse for it. Repent for is rare and generally nonstandard in current English.

repent of his actions
She later repented of her decision
repent of past mistakes

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
repent of + action

Expressing regret for something done

Of introduces the action or behaviour that causes remorse.

repent of their crimes
He finally repented of his lies
2
repent + no object

General moral or religious use

Repent can be used without an object when the context is understood.

They were told to repent immediately
Many people repented after the scandal
3
repent from + behaviour

Rare or regional variation

Repent from appears in some religious or regional contexts but is less standard than repent of.

He vowed to repent from violence
They preached that people should repent from sin

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
repent of
She repented of her cruelty.
standard modern pattern for expressing remorse
repent for
He felt sorry for the mistake.
repent for is generally avoided; use repent of or another verb
repent
They repented after the event.
general use without naming the action
repent from
He repented from a life of crime.
less common variant in some religious styles

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using repent for in standard writing

Modern English strongly prefers repent of.

✕ repent for your sins ✓ repent of your sins

Adding an unnecessary object pronoun

Repent does not take a direct object without a preposition in this meaning.

✕ repent your mistakes ✓ repent of your mistakes

Confusing repent with apologize

Repent focuses on inner regret, not speaking to another person.

✕ repent to her ✓ apologize to her

Using for after nouns of wrongdoing

Of is the standard choice after repent.

✕ repented for the crime ✓ repented of the crime

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She repented ___ her decision.
2. After the scandal, many people decided to ___.
3. Which sentence is most standard in modern English?

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Frequently asked questions

Is repent for wrong?

It is uncommon and usually avoided in modern standard English. Repent of is preferred.

Can repent be used without a preposition?

Yes. Repent can stand alone when the context is clear.

Is repent of formal?

It appears often in formal, literary, and religious contexts, but it is still standard English.

radiate-from-into-around-to, with "raise in" or "raise by"? rake in, through, across, at or over? rally in, around, to, behind or on? "rape by" or "rape in"? ratify by, in, on, according or as? ravage by, from, on, through or with? rave about, at, from, to or before? reach for, by, at, to or into? react to, with, in, by or like? read about, in, on, through or for? "realize in", "realize at" or "realize by"?

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