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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
-
The conversation left her heartbroken.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Still heartbroken years after the split, Richard wears his anger and pain on his sleeve, but his only goal in life is to keep his daughter safe.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The team is soliciting toenail donations (sorry, only from Canadians) to study a type of cancer that arises far from our feet–lung cancer.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Ozzy definitely didn’t want people to feel sorry for him.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In this context, even a simple boast about wielding a Beretta sounded mournful.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Lit only by a halo-like light overhead, Wayans stares blankly at the screen, smoking a cigar — and breaking down in mournful tears.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Strength is not something to be ashamed of.—
Brian Mast,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Victims feel embarrassed, ashamed or afraid to admit they were fooled.—
Summer Stephan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Oct. 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
-
During her sentencing, Javice appeared remorseful, according to several reports.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
-
While the lyrics seem remorseful, Cardi’s only regrets are for him.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Layola University will announce funeral arrangements at a later date.—
Karen Mizoguchi,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
-
At the end of the service, a funeral procession carried Howard's casket, now draped in an American flag, south along Hickory Road.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Vacherot walked forward afterward as if in disbelief, apologetic for how Djokovic had had to play the match.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
His tone was elegiac, but not apologetic.—
Beth Lew-Williams,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Regretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regretful. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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