sorry

[sor-ee, sawr-ee]

adjective

sorrier, sorriest 

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: worthless, paltry, contemptible, abject, shabby

interjection

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

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

sorry

/ ˈsɒrɪ /

adjective

1. 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

Other Word Forms

• sorrily adverb
• sorriness noun
• unsorry 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

"I feel sorry for them, it's not their fault and it's ruined their lives."

Read more on BBC

“I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling up to it,” is a fair excuse, even last-minute, especially when you’re protecting your mental health from toxic relatives, exes or others you can’t handle seeing.

Read more on Salon

He held a sign reading: "Dear London sorry … I'm here to fight for my future!"

Read more on BBC

The association added it was "deeply sorry" for the mistake, which it took "very seriously".

Read more on BBC

“We are deeply sorry,” Character.AI wrote in its letter to teens.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• apologetic 
• contrite 
• regretful 
• remorseful 
• touched