Sorry Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms sorry American [sor-ee, sawr-ee] / ˈsɒr i, ˈsɔr i /

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 British / 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interjection

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 sorry Idioms

1. see better safe than sorry.

Related Words

See wretched.

Other Word Forms

• sorrily adverb
• sorriness noun
• unsorry adjective

Etymology

Origin of sorry

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

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 CEO of Coral Expeditions, Mark Fifield, said that the company was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had offered its full support to the Rees family.

From BBC

"They opened it and I said 'Oh no, I'm so sorry,'" she recalls.

From BBC

"So sorry to see your hardship, especially at this time of year. We are thinking of you and hope you are able to get back to normality as soon as possible," one comment said.

From BBC

“I’m sorry about Michael’s phone call to you,” Wendy said in the voicemail, which was reviewed by the Journal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Posting on the band's official website, lead singer Ian Anderson said he was sorry to hear of the death of the "strong vocalist and experienced, powerful and lyrical guitarist".

From BBC

Related Words

• apologetic
• contrite
• regretful
• remorseful
• touched

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.