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
My regretful error was not planning to give myself enough time to properly shop.
—
Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
So was recalling important, impactful, or regretful experiences from his childhood.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Simon is angry, regretful, and disappointed at his lack of control.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
Williams knows how to humanize this bare-bones vocabulary, minutely adjusting the voicing of a chord or caressing the last of a set of recurring motifs with a regretful ritardando.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regretful
Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
So was recalling important, impactful, or regretful experiences from his childhood.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Simon is angry, regretful, and disappointed at his lack of control.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
Williams knows how to humanize this bare-bones vocabulary, minutely adjusting the voicing of a chord or caressing the last of a set of recurring motifs with a regretful ritardando.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regretful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regretful
Adjective
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Based on the 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic follows the witchy women of the Owens’ family, whose heartbroken ancestor cursed their bloodline so that any man who falls in love with an Owens woman dies a tragic death.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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Instead, Janai Norman — the warm, radiant presence who had become the heart of weekend Good Morning America — said goodbye through a tearful Instagram video on April 3 that left loyal viewers blindsided and heartbroken.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, build a team that reaches out first, acknowledges disruptions, and says sorry before frustration boils over.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
20 Apr. 2026
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Which may be a sad indication of what these sorry events did to each member of her family.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His face, always stationed somewhere halfway to hangdog, seems to gain 20 new creases carved deep into his skin, accentuating his mournful eyes and his excruciated, heartbroken smile.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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Her music choices, mournful and dreamy, also add a sense of significance.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
May the world know that Americans are ashamed and suffering and locked into despair and destruction, which now affects the world.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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There’s nothing to be ashamed of with our locker room right now from this game.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 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
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Horner did not seem remorseful in the interview, Espinoza said.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
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Todd Kesterson of Kaufman Rossin said his remorseful clients aren't necessarily strapped for cash, but are frequently displeased when their children's fortunes exceed theirs.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One of the most famous artists in the world, Anselm Kiefer, installed a funeral pyre of nearly 300 of his works at Marian Goodman on West 57th Street, one of the more prestigious galleries at the time.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
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This fascinating doc explores the dilemma now facing the funeral industry and the many inventive solutions being pioneered.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dunk acknowledged his error with an apologetic hand gesture to Verbruggen.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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In fact, our new characters are exceedingly apologetic drivers.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regretful. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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