Standard Lemma guide

rappelling

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: R AH0 P EH1 L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A method used to descend heights with a rope.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: abseiling

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of rappel

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hebrew: סנפלינג (snepling) — descending heights with a rope
  • Polish: opuszczanie się przy pomocy liny — descending heights with a rope
  • Spanish: rápel — descending heights with a rope
  • Spanish: ráppel — descending heights with a rope
  • Spanish: rapel — descending heights with a rope