1
as in heartbroken
expressing or suggesting mourning
gave me a regretful look when I told him we had to move my mother to a nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorry
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
was truly regretful that she had yelled at him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of regretful
Ma and Tsai give strong performances that cast the dynamic as one not of scorn but of regretful misunderstanding.
—
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Created in 2019 by Eastbound & Down's Danny McBride, the filthy HBO comedy centers around a family of corrupt, fast-talking televangelists led by John Goodman's aging and regretful Eli Gemstone.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 5 May 2025
As a holistic therapist, she’s unfortunately seen this issue come up time and time again: individuals who overshare too soon, confuse emotional exposure with connection, and later feel raw, misunderstood, or regretful.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
Checkout pages create friction to prevent regretful purchases.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regretful
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Created in 2019 by Eastbound & Down's Danny McBride, the filthy HBO comedy centers around a family of corrupt, fast-talking televangelists led by John Goodman's aging and regretful Eli Gemstone.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 5 May 2025
As a holistic therapist, she’s unfortunately seen this issue come up time and time again: individuals who overshare too soon, confuse emotional exposure with connection, and later feel raw, misunderstood, or regretful.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
Checkout pages create friction to prevent regretful purchases.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regretful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regretful
Adjective
-
Hill’s 21-year-old son told WXYZ that his whole family is heartbroken.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Over the past half-decade, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has been called off three times, leaving behind unrealized lineups, swampy farmlands, and heartbroken fans.—
Audrey Gibbs,
The Tennessean,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The website clarifies that Kith Ivy will host an Erewhon Tonic Bar (sorry, not the full grocery store) for members.—
Oren Peleg,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Your chance is now 25 out of 292 million, which is still, sorry to say, infinitesimal.—
Mark Fischetti,
Scientific American,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Similarly, the discreetly mournful compositions of Giorgio Matteo and Aki Oliviero’s score hover politely on the periphery of the (in)action, careful not to intrude.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
-
His narration is a constant pleasure — mournful, wry, and suffused with a world-weary poetry.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This doesn’t seem like a company that is ashamed to be caught stealing.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Some were too ashamed to speak publicly.—
Felipe Schrieberg,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Singh Pannun said Singh was remorseful about the accident.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Brom understands the severity of his crimes, is remorseful and has apologized to everyone involved.—
Matthew Stolle,
Twin Cities,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Her family is raising money to cover funeral expenses.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Following the boy’s death, donors raised about $30,000 in a GoFundMe campaign launched to help with funeral expenses.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In a few short years, my plaintive, pleading tone would seem awkward and apologetic, compared to the confrontational calls on campuses for a free Palestine from the river to the sea, or Kneecap’s concert criticisms.—
Philip Metres
August 27,
Literary Hub,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Though staff were apologetic, Wolf went along with the request.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Regretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regretful. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share