sorry

[ sor-ee, sawr-ee ]

adjective

, sor·ri·er, sor·ri·est.

1. feeling regret, compunction, sympathy, pity, etc.:

   to be sorry to leave one's friends; to be sorry for a remark; to be sorry for someone in trouble.

   Synonyms: pitying, sympathetic, regretful

   Antonyms: happy

2. regrettable or deplorable; unfortunate; tragic:

   a sorry situation; to come to a sorry end.

3. sorrowful, grieved, or sad:

   Was she sorry when her brother died?

   Synonyms: depressed, unhappy

4. associated with sorrow; suggestive of grief or suffering; melancholy; dismal.

   Synonyms: painful, mournful, grievous

5. wretched, poor, useless, or pitiful:

   a sorry horse.

   Synonyms: shabby, worthless, paltry, contemptible, abject

interjection

1. (used as a conventional apology or expression of regret):

   Sorry, you're misinformed. Did I bump you? Sorry.

sorry

/ ˈsɒrɪ /

adjective

1. usually postpositiveoften foll byfor feeling or expressing pity, sympathy, remorse, grief, or regret

   I feel sorry for him

2. pitiful, wretched, or deplorable

   a sorry sight

3. poor; paltry

   a sorry excuse

4. affected by sorrow; sad
5. causing sorrow or sadness

interjection

1. an exclamation expressing apology, used esp at the time of the misdemeanour, offence, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈsorriness, noun
• ˈsorrily, adverb

Other Words From

• sorri·ly adverb
• sorri·ness noun
• un·sorry adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorry¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sārig; cognate with Low German sērig, Old High German sērag. See sore, -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorry¹

Old English sārig; related to Old High German sērag; see sore

Idioms and Phrases

see better safe than sorry .

Synonym Study

See wretched.

Example Sentences

In discussing his two leading characters, he has said, “I didn’t want us to feel sorry for them.”

From Washington Blade

I’m even more sorry to report that Val Curtis, the British hygiene scholar we interviewed, died in October.

From Freakonomics

We are truly sorry, but unfortunately, the vaccine supply is not under our control.

From ProPublica

To account for travel restrictions between the United States and Canada, the North Division — sorry, the Scotia North Division — is composed of the league’s seven Canadian teams.

From Washington Post

To attend and then leave, it is, “I’m sorry, I have to go now.”

From Washington Post

Its biggest asset, of course, is the steely Atwell, who never asks you to feel sorry for Carter despite all the sexism around her.

From The Daily Beast

So she lies to the knight, telling him Madalena is sorry and wants him back.

From The Daily Beast

I am so sorry that your parents did this to you, developing their own discriminatory take on your existence.

From The Daily Beast

“Sorry I can't give you more, but at this time our office has no comment,” his spokesman, Sergio Gor, said.

From The Daily Beast

“I feel sorry for what she did to Russ and his daughter,” Gill said.

From The Daily Beast

Bernard was uncomfortable enough not to care to be mocked; but he felt even more sorry that Gordon should be.

From Project Gutenberg

"I will," gruffly replied the man, with a look which showed that he was sorry to be forced to choose the second alternative.

From Project Gutenberg

He felt very sorry for the Temecula people, the sheriff did; but he had to obey the law himself.

From Project Gutenberg

"I am sorry," she replied instead, not saying a word about the poor little toes which the pretty pink lady had crushed.

From Project Gutenberg

Meanwhile, as you may well believe, he began to feel very sorry that he had said anything about the verses.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apologetic
• contrite
• regretful
• remorseful
• touched