sorrier; sorriest
1
a
: feeling sorrow or sympathy
I'm so sorry for your loss.
We were very sorry to hear the news.
She felt sorry for him. [=she felt sympathy and concern for him because of his situation, problems, etc.]
He told me to stop feeling sorry for myself. [=to stop indulging in self-pity]
b
: feeling regret or penitence
He was sorry about what he had said.
"I wanted to apologize," she said, "for my abominable rudeness in laughing at you just now. It was idiotic of me and I don't know why I did it. I'm sorry."—
P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse"… I'm so sorry, but the tongs were too hot, and so I've made a mess," groaned poor Jo, regarding the little black pancakes with tears of regret.—Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May AlcottI am sorry we have ever differed, and extremely sorry I have ever given you offence.—Charles Dickens
—used to express polite regretCharles DickensI'm sorry, but I think you're wrong.
I'm sorry to interrupt you.
—used to introduce disappointing or bad news in a polite wayI'm sorry, but we won't be able to come.
—used as an apology for a minor fault or offenseOh, sorry—that was clumsy of me.
I'm late again. Sorry about that. [=I'm sorry; I apologize]
2
3
: inspiring sorrow, pity, scorn, or ridicule : pitiful
Their affairs were in a sorry state.
Lawrence blushed, and then smiled awkwardly. A man in love is a sorry spectacle.—Agatha Christie
Agatha ChristieIn view of the sorry treatment of the Native Americans of the US, it is time that their voice was heard a little more clearly in contemporary American society.—Tim Flannery
Tim Flannery… had been on her way to work when her rusted-out, … sorry excuse for a car … choked on its last drop of gasoline, then died.—Ingrid Law
Ingrid LawExamples of sorry in a Sentence
I'm sorry if I offended you.
She was sorry to hear about their divorce.
I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm sorry for saying that.
I'm sorry that I wasted your time.
What a sorry state of affairs we're in now.
That's the sorriest excuse I've heard.
Recent Examples on the Web
There will be no combustion engine on board—sorry, V-8 fans—with all the power required to run the control and motion systems for the foils, the keel and rudder, and the onboard computers and instruments generated autonomously while under sail.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 June 2025
Even savvy healthcare consumers – aka patients – will have a hard time reining in healthcare spending in the face of physicians preaching an ethic of better safe than sorry.
—Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Now sit tall, with your legs crossed, or remain curled up in the fetal position—sorry, the unborn person position, as I’m now legally required to call it.
—Jena Friedman, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
Thankfully, The Buccaneers doesn’t exactly scream this will all end in tragedy, gird your loins, but this episode certainly leaves all three of our lovers feeling sorry for themselves.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sorry
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Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 June 2025
Even savvy healthcare consumers – aka patients – will have a hard time reining in healthcare spending in the face of physicians preaching an ethic of better safe than sorry.
—Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Now sit tall, with your legs crossed, or remain curled up in the fetal position—sorry, the unborn person position, as I’m now legally required to call it.
—Jena Friedman, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
Thankfully, The Buccaneers doesn’t exactly scream this will all end in tragedy, gird your loins, but this episode certainly leaves all three of our lovers feeling sorry for themselves.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sorry
Cite this Entry
“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorry. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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