Repass or Repast: What’s the Difference? (With Examples)
Repass and repast differ by a single letter and share no meaning at all. Repass is a verb meaning to pass over or through something again (“the comet will repass the Earth”), while repast is a noun meaning a meal — most often the meal shared after a funeral (“the family gathered for a repast”). Swap them and a solemn dinner becomes a repeated journey.
Quick Answer
| Word | Part of Speech | Main Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repass | verb | to pass over or through again | “We repassed the checkpoint on the way home.” |
| Repast | noun | a meal; the meal after a funeral | “A repast was served in the church hall.” |
Simple rule: repass is an action (passing again); repast is a thing you eat (a meal).
What Does Repass Mean?
Repass means to pass over, through, or by something a second time. It is built from the prefix re- (again) plus pass, and it turns up in travel, astronomy, sports, and law — anywhere a route or event repeats. It is uncommon in casual speech, which is part of why writers reach for the wrong word.
- “The satellite will repass over the city at dawn.”
- “We repassed the border on our return trip.”
- “The relay runners repass the same landmark each lap.”
- “The committee repassed the proposal after amending it.”
- “Halley’s Comet repasses the inner solar system every 76 years.”
What Does Repast Mean?
Repast is a somewhat formal noun meaning a meal — any meal, though the word is best known today for the funeral repast, the gathering and food shared after a burial service. Merriam-Webster defines repast simply as “a meal,” from the Old French word for food taken to restore oneself.
- “The family shared a quiet repast after the funeral.”
- “They enjoyed a simple repast of bread and cheese.”
- “The church hall hosted the repast for friends and relatives.”
- “Travelers in the old inn sat down to a hearty repast.”
- “The wedding repast lasted well into the evening.”
Repass vs. Repast: Key Differences
| Feature | Repass | Repast |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | To pass again | A meal |
| Part of speech | Verb | Noun |
| Built from | re- + pass | Old French repast (food, restoration) |
| Typical setting | Travel, science, sports, legal procedure | Dining, ceremonies, funerals |
| Common phrase | “repass the checkpoint,” “will repass” | “funeral repast,” “hearty repast” |
| Memory hook | ends in ss like paSS again | ends in st like feast |
They are as unrelated as other lookalike pairs such as desert or dessert — one letter apart, worlds apart in meaning.
Repass and Repast in Real Sentences
At Home
Repass: “We repassed the same gas station twice because we missed the turn.”
Repast: “Sunday dinner was a proper family repast, with everyone at the table.”
Driving past the gas station again is repassing; sitting down to eat together is a repast.
At Work
Repass: “The bill had to repass both chambers before it could become law.”
Repast: “The team celebrated the launch with a catered repast in the lobby.”
Legislation repasses through voting; colleagues gather around a repast to celebrate.
In Conversation
Repass: “If we leave now, we’ll repass the stadium during rush hour.”
Repast: “After the service, everyone is invited to a repast at the community center.”
You repass through places; you sit down to a repast.
Common Mistakes
One-letter mix-ups are a classic English trap — just ask anyone who has tangled loose or lose.
Mistake 1: Using “repass” for a funeral meal
❌ “A repass was held after the burial.”
✅ “A repast was held after the burial.”
Why: the post-funeral meal is always a repast; repass would mean the guests passed by the grave twice.
Mistake 2: Using “repast” as a verb
❌ “The train will repast through the tunnel.”
✅ “The train will repass through the tunnel.”
Why: repast is a noun only — it can never describe movement. The verb form keeps both ses: repass.
Mistake 3: Writing “repast” when you mean “repeat”
❌ “We need to repast the experiment.”
✅ “We need to repeat the experiment.”
Why: doing something over is repeat; repast belongs at the dinner table, not in the lab.
Mistake 4: Pluralizing “repast” as a verb form
❌ “They repasts the finish line every lap.”
✅ “They repass the finish line every lap.”
Why: as a verb, repass takes normal verb endings (repasses, repassed); repasts is only the plural noun, meaning multiple meals.
Pronunciation
Repast is pronounced /rɪˈpæst/ — “rih-PAST,” rhyming with past and last (fitting, since it names a meal that follows something). Repass is pronounced /riːˈpæs/ — “ree-PASS,” rhyming with pass and glass. The stress and final sounds differ, so the two words do not even sound alike when said correctly.
How to Remember the Difference
Zero in on the final letters: repasS ends with a double S like paSS — you pass through a second time. repasT ends with a T like feaST — a tasty table of food.
- S in repass → Second time through (verb)
- T in repast → Table, a meal (noun)
- repass rhymes with pass; repast rhymes with past
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it repass or repast?
It depends on your meaning: use repass for passing over or through something again, and repast for a meal. They are not interchangeable.
What is a funeral repast?
A funeral repast is the meal shared by family and friends after a burial service — a time to gather, eat, and remember the person who died.
Is “repast” an old-fashioned word?
It is formal rather than outdated. You will still see repast in invitations, obituaries, and literature whenever a meal is described with a touch of ceremony.
Can “repass” be a noun?
Rarely — dictionaries list it almost entirely as a verb. For the act of passing again, the verb form covers nearly every use.
What is the past tense of repass?
Repassed — “The comet repassed the Earth in 2061.” It follows the regular -ed pattern.
Conclusion
Repass is a verb about going through again; repast is a noun about sitting down to eat. Remember S for a second pass and T for the table, and these two near-twins will never trade places in your writing.
