regret

1 of 2

verb

re·​gret ri-ˈgret How to pronounce regret (audio)
regretted; regretting

transitive verb

1
a
: to mourn the loss or death of
b
: to miss very much
2
: to be very sorry for
regrets his mistakes

intransitive verb

: to experience regret
regretter noun

regret

2 of 2

noun

1
: sorrow aroused by circumstances beyond one's control or power to repair
2
a
: an expression of distressing emotion (such as sorrow)
b
regrets plural : a note politely declining an invitation
Choose the Right Synonym for regret

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind.

sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Examples of regret in a Sentence

Verb Don't say anything you might regret later. I deeply regret what I said. She does not regret leaving him. He regrets not traveling more when he was younger. He says he doesn't regret anything that he's done in his life. Noun She has no regrets about leaving him. My greatest regret is not going to college. To my regret, I never visited Europe. It is with deep regret that he is announcing his resignation. My coworker gives her regrets for not being able to attend the meeting. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Payroll company Paychecks surveyed American workers and found that 80% of employees who left their jobs during The Great Resignation now regret it. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2023 Share [Findings] Scientists trained subjects to exercise control over a single neuron, linked the hippocampus to regret, and concluded that humans smell in stereo. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023 Boy instantly regrets saying that boy’s emotional death is equivalent to actual death. Jen Kim, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2023 Cortez/Associated Press Titans coach Mike Vrabel: Might regret not doing more at QB this offseason. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 The researchers proposed eight ways to get more happiness for your money: That may be why of the 94% of Americans who spend impulsively, 64% regret their purchases, according to 2,000 people surveyed by budgeting app company YNAB in late June. Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2023 Xi might regret staying away, said Stephen Collinson at CNN. Harold Maass, The Week, 5 Sep. 2023 Carroll hasn’t made Arizona regret the decision, batting .282/.362/.523 with 24 homers and an .885 OPS through 132 games while also playing exceptionally well in the outfield. Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Sep. 2023 Commentary: Angels lose 5 to waivers: Team saves chump change, likely regrets trading prospects The Cleveland Guardians claimed three Angels pitchers, and the Cincinnati Reds took outfielder Hunter Renfroe, leaving the Halos with seller’s remorse. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2023
Noun
In 1988, her fourth album produced by Dave Cobb, McKenna once again digs into personal topics that evoke a full range of powerful emotions, from regret to contentment, from fear and sorrow to hope and joy. Nancy Kruh, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2023 Several other people associated with the show — a director, somebody’s manager, etc. — are present for interviews, but add nothing and, like Tsuchiya, no real regrets are evident. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2023 Enter Email Sign Up Not long after, the chair told Inbar that, with regret, UCLA could not offer him a job. Michael Powell, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023 Layover is also filled with complicated feelings that surround a sense of nostalgia, with its romanticization of the past and all its regrets. Michelle Hyun Kim, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2023 Instead of coming to an impassioned halt of anger or regret, Petty opts for a quick succession of staccato yelps, which land with ambivalence more than emotion. Jessica Gentile, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2023 But those regrets may be particularly poignant for global leaders whose actions (or lack thereof) had direct impacts on how Covid-19 spread. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 5 Sep. 2023 Some personal regrets that pushed her to swear off trends? Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023 The reasons are all the same: too many regrets, too many apologies. Mike Postalakis, Spin, 5 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'regret.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English regretten, from Anglo-French regreter, from re- + -greter (perhaps of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse grāta to weep) — more at greet

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of regret was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near regret

Cite this Entry

“Regret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regret. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

regret

1 of 2 verb
re·​gret ri-ˈgret How to pronounce regret (audio)
regretted; regretting
1
a
: to mourn the loss or death of
b
: to miss very much
2
: to be keenly sorry for
3
: to experience regret

regret

2 of 2 noun
1
: sorrow aroused by events beyond one's control
2
a
: an expression of sorrow or disappointment
b
plural : a note politely turning down an invitation
regretful adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on regret

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