more in sorrow than in anger

Idioms  

1. Saddened rather than infuriated by someone's behavior. For example, When Dad learned that Jack had stolen a car, he looked at him more in sorrow than in anger. This expression first appeared in 1603 in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1:2), where Horatio describes to Hamlet the appearance of his father's ghost: “A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.”

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Example Sentences

“Seems as if David Adjmi is a liar and plagiarist,” my friend wrote, more in sorrow than in anger.

From Los Angeles Times

To be clear, Smil writes more in sorrow than in anger.

From Washington Post

His tone was more in sorrow than in anger.

From New York Times

In the Daily Express, meanwhile, columnist Virginia Blackburn addressed the couple more in sorrow than in anger, asking: “Is it Meghan’s fault?”

From The Guardian

Mr Campbell has vowed to fight the decision and said he instructed lawyers "more in sorrow than in anger".

From BBC