sorry

adjective

sor·​ry ˈsär-ē 

ˈsȯr-

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

"… 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

I am sorry we have ever differed, and extremely sorry I have ever given you offence.

—Charles Dickens

—used to express polite regret

I'm sorry, but I think you're wrong.

I'm sorry to interrupt you.

—used to introduce disappointing or bad news in a polite way

I'm sorry, but we won't be able to come.

—used as an apology for a minor fault or offense

Oh, sorry—that was clumsy of me.

I'm late again. Sorry about that. [=I'm sorry; I apologize]

2

: mournful, sad

Rilla remembered one moonlit evening of childhood when she had said to her mother, "The moon just looks like a sorry, sorry face."

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

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

In 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

… 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

sorrily

ˈsär-ə-lē 

ˈsȯr-

adverb

sorriness

ˈsär-ē-nəs 

ˈsȯr-

noun

Synonyms

• lame
• pitiful
• mean
• cheap
• dirty
• nasty
• hateful
• wretched
• disgusting

Choose the Right Synonym for sorry

contemptible, despicable, pitiable, sorry, scurvy mean arousing or deserving scorn.

contemptible may imply any quality provoking scorn or a low standing in any scale of values.

a contemptible liar

despicable may imply utter worthlessness and usually suggests arousing an attitude of moral indignation.

a despicable crime

pitiable applies to what inspires mixed contempt and pity.

a pitiable attempt at tragedy

sorry may stress pitiable inadequacy or may suggest wretchedness or sordidness.

this rattletrap is a sorry excuse for a car

scurvy adds to despicable an implication of arousing disgust.

a scurvy crew of hangers-on

Examples 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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sory, from Old English sārig, from sār sore

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sorry

• feeling sorry for myself
• feel sorry for oneself
• felt sorry for
• (it's) better (to be) safe than sorry
• poor/sad/sorry excuse for
• sorry to say

Rhymes for sorry

• chary
• mari
• quare
• sari
• sparry
• starry
• acari
• behari
• bihari
• chiari
• harari
• safari

Kids Definition

sorry

adjective

sor·​ry ˈsär-ē 

ˈsȯr-

sorrier; sorriest

1

: feeling sorrow or regret

2

: mournful sense 2, sad

3

: causing sorrow, pity, or scorn : wretched

sorriness

-ē-nəs 

noun