regret
[ ri-gret ]
/ rɪˈgrɛt /
verb (used with object), re·gret·ted, re·gret·ting.
to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.
to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one's vanished youth.
noun
a sense of loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, etc.
a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, etc.
regrets,
a polite, usually formal refusal of an invitation: I sent her my regrets.
a note expressing regret at one's inability to accept an invitation: I have had four acceptances and one regret.
Origin of regret
SYNONYMS FOR regret
1
deplore,
lament,
bewail,
bemoan,
mourn,
sorrow,
grieve.
Regret,
penitence,
remorse imply a sense of sorrow about events in the past, usually wrongs committed or errors made.
Regret is distress of mind, sorrow for what has been done or failed to be done:
to have no regrets.
Penitence implies a sense of sin or misdoing, a feeling of contrition and determination not to sin again:
a humble sense of penitence.
Remorse implies pangs, qualms of conscience, a sense of guilt, regret, and repentance for sins committed, wrongs done, or duty not performed:
a deep sense of remorse.
OTHER WORDS FROM regret
re·gret·ter, noun re·gret·ting·ly, adverb un·re·gret·ted, adjective un·re·gret·ting, adjectiveWords nearby regret
Example sentences from the Web for regretting
British Dictionary definitions for regretting
regret
/ (rɪˈɡrɛt) /
verb -grets, -gretting or -gretted (tr)
(may take a clause as object or an infinitive)
to feel sorry, repentant, or upset about
to bemoan or grieve the death or loss of
noun
a sense of repentance, guilt, or sorrow, as over some wrong done or an unfulfilled ambition
a sense of loss or grief
(plural)
a polite expression of sadness, esp in a formal refusal of an invitation
Derived forms of regret
Word Origin for regret
C14: from Old French
regrete, of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse
grāta to weep
usage for regret
Regretful and
regretfully are sometimes wrongly used where
regrettable and
regrettably are meant:
he gave a regretful smile; he smiled regretfully; this is a regrettable (not
regretful)
mistake; regrettably (not
regretfully)
, I shall be unable to attend