remorseful

adjective

re·​morse·​ful ri-ˈmȯrs-fəl How to pronounce remorseful (audio)
: motivated or marked by remorse
remorsefully adverb
remorsefulness noun

Examples of remorseful in a Sentence

was remorseful about all the trouble that he had caused in the family
Recent Examples on the Web Gaynor’s lawyer, Chris Micali, said his client was remorseful and had made a mistake, but there was no malicious intent. Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023 In wistful and remorseful turns, Swift acutely describes feeling caught between your heart and your head. TIME, 25 Oct. 2023 Anne, remorseful and fearful, swears Théo to secrecy, but the coverup quickly becomes the bigger and better drama: a conflict of terrifying intensity and bitter irony, taut with emotional violence and looming menace. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2023 The teens don’t seem at all remorseful about their actions, while their openly hypocritical — and increasingly histrionic — parents worry about not only their kids’ futures, but how doing what’s right might impact their careers. Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Sep. 2023 One of the men looked remorseful, Ms. Gomez said, but the other seemed to scrutinize her family judgmentally. Lola Fadulu Kholood Eid, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2023 In a sentencing memo, Rumley’s attorney, Marc Levinson, said his client was remorseful. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2023 Defense attorney Mark Henry Pollard said his client is not guilty, is remorseful and might claim self-defense. Sabrina Souza, CNN, 11 Aug. 2023 Veronica was disappointed that Covington did not appear remorseful and did not apologize. Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of remorseful was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near remorseful

Cite this Entry

“Remorseful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remorseful. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

remorseful

adjective
re·​morse·​ful ri-ˈmȯrs-fəl How to pronounce remorseful (audio)
: moved or marked by remorse
remorsefully adverb
remorsefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on remorseful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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