What does "repine" mean?
A repining.
Repine
/ɹɪˈpaɪn/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A repining.
- Grammar: repine is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: be sorry for, bemoan, bewail, brood.
- Useful contrasts: celebrate, exult, prosper.
- Usage evidence: Then she addressed me thus, and comforted my care. / "What boots this idle passion? Why so fain / sweet husband, thus to sorrow and repine?"
How to use "repine"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "repine" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "repine" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "repine" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "repine" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "repine" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "be sorry for" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "repine", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A repining. archaic, obsolete
"Whose beams upon his hairless face are fix’d / As if from thence they borrowed all their shine. / Were never four such lamps together mix’d, / Had not his clouded with his brow’s repine; […]"
Verb
- 1 To complain; to regret; to fret. intransitive, literary
"[VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and vvith reaſon to perſvvade that in tymes paſt our fayth vvas alike, that then vve preached thinges correſpondent vnto the forme of faith already published of vs, ſo that none in this behalfe can repyne or gaynesay vs."
- 2 express discontent wordnet
- 3 To long for (something) discontentedly; to pine. intransitive, literary
"Theſe ears, alas! for other notes repine, / A different object do theſe eyes require."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Then she addressed me thus, and comforted my care. / "What boots this idle passion? Why so fain / sweet husband, thus to sorrow and repine?""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "repine"?
Common synonyms include: be sorry for, bemoan, bewail, brood, compassionate, complain.
How do you use "repine" in a sentence?
Then she addressed me thus, and comforted my care. / "What boots this idle passion? Why so fain / sweet husband, thus to sorrow and repine?"
How do you pronounce "repine"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈpaɪn/.
Etymology
Believed to have been formed (with uncertainty, due to the unusual formation) as re- + pine, with the verb giving rise to the noun (first attested in 1529 and 1593 respectively); compare the Middle English verb repinen (“(uncertain) to cause trouble to someone, grieve”) (from pīnen (“to cause pain, grieve, hurt, trouble; to starve, pine; to torment, torture”), from Old English pīnian), which may be related.