remorse
Americannoun
-
deep and painful regret for wrongdoing; compunction.
- Synonyms:
- contrition
-
Obsolete. pity; compassion.
noun
-
a sense of deep regret and guilt for some misdeed
-
compunction; pity; compassion
Related Words
See regret.
Other Word Forms
- preremorse noun
- remorseful adjective
- remorsefully adverb
- remorsefulness noun
Etymology
Origin of remorse
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English from Middle French remors from Medieval Latin remorsus, past participle of Latin remordēre, “to bite back, vex, nag,” equivalent to Latin re- re- + mordēre “to bite” ( mordant )
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.
"The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival," he said.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
Steyer has repeatedly expressed remorse about his former firm’s ties with the detention company.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
Wixon still denies she has done anything wrong, and has shown no remorse for her actions, Fletcher said.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
The magistrate presiding over this case said he had decided against jail because of Goreraza's remorse and the fact that he was a first-time offender.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
Because I’d known how going to see Mamá would turn out, I left Mr. Gee’s without feeling one bit of remorse over not telling her what was going on.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
