regrettable

adjective

re·​gret·​ta·​ble ri-ˈgre-tə-bəl 

: deserving regret

Synonyms of regrettable

• unfortunate
• tragic

Examples of regrettable in a Sentence

His decision to quit is regrettable.

It was a regrettable mistake.

Recent Examples on the Web

Forcing tenants out is not a regrettable side effect of a broken housing system. — Anisha Steephen, Time, 21 July 2026

Knife sets, coffee cups, and baking dishes round out the non-regrettable basics to pick up. — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026

Other teams signed players to regrettable max contracts after missing out on Durant. — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

That could result in some desperate, regrettable contracts being handed out, but last year, most teams that were flush with cap space showed a surprising level of discipline and restraint. — Harman Dayal, New York Times, 13 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for regrettable

• wettable
• forgettable
• unforgettable

Kids Definition

regrettable

adjective

re·​gret·​ta·​ble ri-ˈgret-ə-bəl 

: deserving regret