contrite

[ kuhn-trahyt, kon-trahyt ]

/ kənˈtraɪt, ˈkɒn traɪt /

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See synonyms for: contrite / contriteness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

caused by or showing sincere remorse.

filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent: a contrite sinner.

OTHER WORDS FOR contrite

2 rueful, remorseful, repentant.

See synonyms for contrite on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of contrite

1300–50; Middle English contrit (<Anglo-French ) <Latin contrītus worn down, crushed, past participle of conterere.See con-, trite

OTHER WORDS FROM contrite

con·trite·ly, adverbcon·trite·ness, nouno·ver·con·trite, adjectiveo·ver·con·trite·ly, adverb

o·ver·con·trite·ness, nounun·con·trite, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use contrite in a sentence

That, too, changed within a few hours as a performatively contrite Cruz appeared on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show.
Cruz had more Republican cover trying to undermine the 2020 election than he did going on vacation|Philip Bump|February 19, 2021|Washington Post
Being able to stomach the hypocrisy of making an apology without feeling overly contrite is a basic life skill to which no one can claim to be allergic.
Miss Manners: Three cases of ‘I can’t eat that’|Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin, Jacobina Martin|February 18, 2021|Washington Post
Speaking to the caucus Wednesday, Cheney was unrepentant, while Greene was to some extent contrite.
The Republican Party divide is not about politics. It’s about culture.|Philip Bump|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
You have fully and contritely admitted the problem, which is more than Lance could manage.
An Open Letter to Buzz Bissinger|Sean Macaulay|March 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST

"I don't care to be saucy, but it is so original," Elsa said contritely.
The Devil|Joseph O'Brien
I—I hope I havent damaged the craft, spoke the professor contritely when he realized what had happened.
The Motor Boys in the Clouds|Clarence Young
“You make me feel myself a blatant misanthropist,” he said contritely.
The Terms of Surrender|Louis Tracy
"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday," he observed contritely.
Servants of the Guns|Jeffery E. Jeffery
Contritely, therefore, and humbly he acknowledged his fault, and cast himself upon the mercy of Robespierre.
The Trampling of the Lilies|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for contrite

contrite

/ (kənˈtraɪt, ˈkɒntraɪt) /

adjective

full of guilt or regret; remorseful

arising from a sense of shame or guiltcontrite promises

theol remorseful for past sin and resolved to avoid future sin

Derived forms of contrite

contritely, adverbcontriteness, noun

Word Origin for contrite

C14: from Latin contrītus worn out, from conterere to bruise, from terere to grind

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

contrite

OTHER WORDS FOR contrite

Origin of contrite

OTHER WORDS FROM contrite

Words related to contrite

How to use contrite in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contrite

Derived forms of contrite

Word Origin for contrite