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
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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
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Recent Examples of regretful
The two end up drinking together, and the next morning, Rebecca wakes up in his bed, regretful of the one-night stand.
—
Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
Tsukasa is 26 and feeling a little wayward, regretful about his late start in figure skating.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
The crown prince also responded to the question about Khashoggi, acting regretful about the killing.
—NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
Speaking publicly, Trump sounded almost regretful about the U.S. sanctions.
—Daniel Fried, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regretful
Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
Tsukasa is 26 and feeling a little wayward, regretful about his late start in figure skating.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
The crown prince also responded to the question about Khashoggi, acting regretful about the killing.
—NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
Speaking publicly, Trump sounded almost regretful about the U.S. sanctions.
—Daniel Fried, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regretful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regretful
Adjective
-
Community ‘heartbroken’ over sewage spill Philip Gray used to enjoy paddling down the river in a canoe or floating in an inner tube, beer in hand, toward his home in Cabin John.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The lyrics emanated from dramatic words and emotions expressed by owner Terry Pegula, football boss Brandon Beane and new head coach about their heartbroken hero.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Cathy’s, um, secretions Fennell’s tendency to shock us only lightly comes (sorry) into full effect when Cathy steals off to the moors to masturbate against a giant rock, overwhelmed by her feelings for Heathcliff.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Liverpool’s sorry state Liverpool were sitting pretty for a short time at Anfield, driven in front by another epic strike from Szoboszlai (above).—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Such memories flowed freely this week on social media and in mournful first-person essays.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Newsom shakes his head, seeming more mournful than angry.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Not by feeling ashamed, but not by ignoring or forgetting the history either.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Be ashamed and humiliated and would have apologized.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
11 Feb. 2026
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
-
This is because these remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit.—
Anna Peele,
Vanity Fair,
27 Jan. 2026
-
During his years behind bars, the 81 year old became reflective and remorseful, though no less colorful.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Varanasi was quite an experience, seeing the funeral pyres.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
16 Feb. 2026
-
At a recent post-funeral luncheon, my friends and I marveled at the spread.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Frenchman fluffed his lines in the first half, skewing wide on his left foot when well placed in front of goal, and also saw an almost apologetic effort blocked shortly before Bournemouth’s equaliser.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Creative work becomes pre-apologetic.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regretful. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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