regrettable
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of regrettable
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French regret(t)able; see regret, -able
Explanation
Regrettable describes things that make you feel sorry. Letting your sister borrow your own snow shovel became a regrettable decision the moment the big storm started. Actions and events are regrettable if they result in feelings of regret, or if they're unwelcome or undesirable. Wearing your least comfortable shoes on a walking tour of Paris will be a regrettable choice if blisters form on your toes. Remember, regrettable describes things like decisions, actions or words. Regretful is for describing people and feelings that express regret.
Vocabulary lists containing regrettable
The Magician's Nephew
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 1
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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.
"I think this decline is very regrettable," Tariq Lenny Bas, who grew up among the grapevines of western Austria, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
New Zealand's former prime minister Helen Clark, co-chair of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, said the failure to reach agreement this week was "deeply regrettable".
From Barron's ● May 1, 2026
Eswatini's government said it was regrettable that Lai was unable to visit, but that this would not "change the status of our longstanding bilateral relationship", according to reports.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2026
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's resident doctor committee, said: "It's very regrettable and I am very sorry to any patients who are affected by this industrial action."
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2026
In any case, regrettable as the whole business was, I do not see that any real harm has been done.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
