regrettably

[ri-gret-uh-blee]

adverb

1. unfortunately.

   Regrettably, those countries that have contributed the least to the problem are facing the gravest consequences.

   The student’s regrettably short attention span resulted in a series of near failures.

Other Word Forms

• unregrettably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of regrettably¹

regrettab(le) ( def. ) + -ly

Related Words

• acutely 
• badly 
• grievously 
• intensely 
• severely 
• sorely 
• very 

When To Use

What does regrettably mean?

Regrettably means in a manner of regret or disappointment, as in Regrettably, I won’t be able to go to your birthday celebration.Regrettably is most often used at the beginning of a sentence to describe how the speaker or writer feels about what follows in the rest of the sentence.Example: I have regrettably made a choice that has ruined my evening plans.