Synonyms of regret

regret 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈgret 

as in to lament

to feel sorry or dissatisfied about

we regret any inconvenience that we may have caused you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lament
• repent
• mourn
• rue
• deplore
• sorrow (for)
• bemoan
• grieve (for)
• bewail
• ache (for)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• enjoy
• relish
• delight (in)
• savor
• revel (in)
• savour

regret

2 of 2

noun

as in remorse

a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing

she was consumed with regret for belittling him in public and felt much better once she had apologized

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remorse
• guilt
• shame
• remorsefulness
• sadness
• repentance
• contrition
• rue
• grief
• sorrow
• penitence
• self-reproach
• apology
• anguish
• blame
• contriteness
• qualm
• compunction
• embarrassment
• misgiving
• responsibility
• scruple
• culpability
• chagrin
• prick
• distress
• excuses
• fault
• ruth
• liability
• rap
• mea culpa
• hand-wringing
• bloodguilt
• bloodguiltiness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impenitence
• remorselessness

Synonym Chooser

How is the word regret different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of regret are anguish, grief, sorrow, and woe. While all these words mean "distress of mind," regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Where would anguish be a reasonable alternative to regret?

In some situations, the words anguish and regret are roughly equivalent. However, anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

In what contexts can grief take the place of regret?

The meanings of grief and regret largely overlap; however, grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

When might sorrow be a better fit than regret?

The words sorrow and regret can be used in similar contexts, but sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

When could woe be used to replace regret?

While in some cases nearly identical to regret, woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of regret

Verb

As Mary Soames, the daughter of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, recounted to me at a dinner in 2003, Churchill asked Stalin during an informal meeting in October 1944 what the Soviet leader regretted most in his life. —Antony Beevor, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025

No Rantanen regrets Sakic and MacFarland fielded multiple questions about the Rantanen trade and any potential reflections in hindsight. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 May 2025

Noun

Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy has previously expressed some regret for the decision to continue the show so soon after the loss. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 9 May 2025

Mapping regrets and linking desires, Pink Elephant is a striking image of togetherness. —Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2025