contrite
Americanadjective
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caused by or showing sincere remorse.
-
filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent.
a contrite sinner.
- Synonyms:
- repentant, remorseful, rueful
adjective
-
full of guilt or regret; remorseful
-
arising from a sense of shame or guilt
contrite promises
-
theol remorseful for past sin and resolved to avoid future sin
Other Word Forms
- contritely adverb
- contriteness noun
- overcontrite adjective
- overcontritely adverb
- overcontriteness noun
- uncontrite adjective
Etymology
Origin of contrite
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English contrit, from Anglo-French, from Latin contrītus “worn down, crushed,” past participle of conterere “to wear down, crush, crumble”; equivalent to con- + trite
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.
On “Folded,” Kehlani toggles between contrite and commanding, weaving her vocals around a guitar line that moves like a Slinky tumbling down a staircase.
The report drawn up for the meeting says the church should "adopt a posture of a broken and contrite heart".
From BBC
But he had a starring role in the opening ceremony of the competition on Wednesday night, standing contrite before the assembled grinning beauty queens where he offered an apology.
From Barron's
AMMAN, Jordan — The message was contrite but direct.
From Los Angeles Times
In the second season, which is on right now, I'm a little more contrite.
From Salon
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.
