regretful

adjective

ri-ˈgret-fəl How to pronounce regretful (audio)
Definition of regretfulnext
1
as in heartbroken
expressing or suggesting mourning gave me a regretful look when I told him we had to move my mother to a nursing home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorry
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done was truly regretful that she had yelled at him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of regretful The story line is primarily a way to explore Annie’s insecurities, with Hughie made to feel guilty and regretful about his dalliance with the doppelgänger instead of ever getting to process his own reaction to the revelation. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film. — Will Leitch, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025 Reubens is candid and perhaps regretful about some of his controlling behavior on the show, and its eventual demise; ditto some of the choices made on Big Top Pee-Wee. — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Her scenes with Burstein are rich and funny and regretful; those with June (Jordan Tyson) and Louise (Joy Woods) are withering. — Jesse Green, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for regretful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regretful
  1. heartbroken
  2. sorry
  3. mournful
  4. ashamed
  5. weeping
  6. remorseful
  7. funeral
  8. apologetic
Adjective
  • After raising the baby for five months, Murray, heartbroken, handed him over to his biological parents.
    — Alexandra Chaidez, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025
  • But in a confessional, Stacey weeps while sympathizing with her heartbroken friend.
    — Abigail Adams, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • In the moment, Fleury joked that Ovechkin’s on-ice salute was because the Russian sniper was sorry to see his favorite foil retire.
    — Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Being objective about Trump is not in the Sun Sentinel’s opinion lexicon — sorry to say.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of sorry
Adjective
  • At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Season four will be the last for The Righteous Gemstones, and there are signs in this mournful (and vulgar/hilarious) episode that this extremely American empire may be going the way of Kelvin’s treehouse.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • The young Jamie desperately wants his father’s approval, but his dad is ashamed of him.
    — Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Waging war on Denmark is wrong and will damage U.S. defense and foreign relations for decades We Americans should be ashamed of ourselves and of our government.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of ashamed
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • Eric claims to be remorseful, and makes a big point of it.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Hoffman acknowledges the crime and is deeply remorseful, his attorney, Cecelia Kappel, told USA TODAY.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of remorseful
Adjective
  • The squads will rotate funeral duty to maintain their health.
    — Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Many of the items had been burned, suggesting that they might have been torched upon a funeral pyre, but no human remains were found amid the assemblage.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of funeral
Adjective
  • The drafts, sent back and forth between Bub and trustees, shift dramatically in tone from angry and defensive to conciliatory and apologetic to concise and professional.
    — Carly Flandro, Idaho Statesman, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Smith has since resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and has been apologetic to Rock for slapping him onstage.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of apologetic

Browse Nearby Words

regret
regretful
regretfully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Regretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regretful. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on regretful

Nglish: Translation of regretful for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Popular

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All