remorse
Americannoun
-
deep and painful regret for wrongdoing; compunction.
- Synonyms:
- contrition
-
Obsolete. pity; compassion.
noun
-
a sense of deep regret and guilt for some misdeed
-
compunction; pity; compassion
Related Words
See regret.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of remorse
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English from Middle French remors from Medieval Latin remorsus, past participle of Latin remordēre, “to bite back, vex, nag,” equivalent to Latin re- re- + mordēre “to bite” ( see mordant)
Explanation
Remorse, a noun, is what you feel if you regret your actions or wish for another outcome. The noun remorse has a very vivid origin. It comes from the Latin roots re for "again" and mordere "to bite." So, if you feel remorse, it means that your conscience is working on you, your past actions are biting you back, and making you feel very regretful. Synonyms for this word are "penitence," "rue," and "contrition." If you took a cookie from the cookie jar and ate it you can't return it; all you can feel is remorse for what you did!
Vocabulary lists containing remorse
Spider-Man's Word Web
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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"Marriage is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe
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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.
In recent years, he has moved into co-producing some of the films in which he has appeared, including "Just Mercy" and "Without Remorse."
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
Only around a third of Angus’s 404 owners have plied their tokenized shares of the animal into the artists’ online Remorse Portal, signifying their wish to save his life.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Remorse about having had too good of a time.
From Washington Post • Dec. 30, 2022
There's even a song on Certified Lover Boy called The Remorse, a sparse, piano-driven track in which Drake lists his achievements and mistakes in equal measure, while meditating on his particularly candid brand of hip-hop.
From BBC • Sep. 3, 2021
Remorse aside, Farmer and Jim knew the clinical facts of Jack’s death were the real issue.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
