regrettably
Americanadverb
Usage
What does regrettably mean? Regrettably means in a manner of regret or disappointment, as in Regrettably, I won’t be able to go to your birthday celebration. Regrettably is most often used at the beginning of a sentence to describe how the speaker or writer feels about what follows in the rest of the sentence. Example: I have regrettably made a choice that has ruined my evening plans.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of regrettably
Explanation
The sentence adverb regrettably is good for expressing regret, or sorrow, about an unfortunate event. If you forgot that today, May 5th, is your brother's birthday, you might say, "Regrettably, I thought today was the fourth." Regrettably is often used at the beginning of a sentence that tells something you wish you had done — or hadn't. You can also use it in the middle of a thought to signify sadness, apology, or regret, like when you're lost in the woods with a guide who's regrettably choosing one wrong path after another. Regrettably also describes things that are disappointing, like your regrettably brief career as a fire juggler.
Vocabulary lists containing regrettably
Commonly Confused Words, List 2
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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Commonly Confused Words, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Regrettably, Reisner, who died in 2000, didn’t live to see that happen.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025
"Regrettably demand for care in our hospitals continues to outstrip current capacity."
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2025
"Regrettably this incident was not taken seriously at this time," the report said.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2025
Regrettably, few of us treated it as such or recognized the impact of the moment.
From Salon • Jan. 14, 2025
Regrettably, the giant still had his smug smile.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
