1
2
3
4
5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness was sorry to see the family farm being sold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
7

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sorry different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sorry are contemptible, despicable, pitiable, and scurvy. While all these words mean "arousing or deserving scorn," sorry may stress pitiable inadequacy or may suggest wretchedness or sordidness.

this rattletrap is a sorry excuse for a car

When is contemptible a more appropriate choice than sorry?

The meanings of contemptible and sorry largely overlap; however, contemptible may imply any quality provoking scorn or a low standing in any scale of values.

a contemptible liar

When might despicable be a better fit than sorry?

The synonyms despicable and sorry are sometimes interchangeable, but despicable may imply utter worthlessness and usually suggests arousing an attitude of moral indignation.

a despicable crime

Where would pitiable be a reasonable alternative to sorry?

While in some cases nearly identical to sorry, pitiable applies to what inspires mixed contempt and pity.

a pitiable attempt at tragedy

How are the words scurvy and despicable related as synonyms of sorry?

Scurvy adds to despicable an implication of arousing disgust.

a scurvy crew of hangers-on

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 sorry Only minutes removed from the Yankees’ sixth consecutive loss and their 16th defeat in their last 22 games, Aaron Judge was asked if the sorry streak had begun to take a toll on the team on Saturday. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025 With that in mind, clearly the duo of doctors avoid a few things—and sorry, there’s no room for SPF-skepticism here. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 4 July 2025 Also, sorry about the whole crying all the time and intermittent hunger strikes. Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Movie theaters aren’t wholly to blame for the sorry state of their industry. Brent Lang, Variety, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sorry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorry
Adjective
  • As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.
    Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021
  • My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.
    Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
  • Too much alcohol and your dreamy dessert turns into a sad, semi-frozen slush.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Her eyes are big and sad, and her index finger touches the tip of the nightstick hanging from the policeman’s belt.
    Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • The double talk that is presented by both Republicans and Democrats alike is pathetic.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
  • Tehran's retaliation has, so far, been pathetic: a few missiles lobbed at an empty US base, complete with a heads-up.
    Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Trump administration's level of sheer corruption is appalling and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.
    Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 2 July 2025
  • Riri’s too ashamed of all the crime she’s enabled since her visit to Wakanda to reach out to her mentor.
    Stacia Brown, Vulture, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • This gives the creditor an additional target to pursue and make very unhappy which can indirectly put pressure on the debtor to pay the judgment.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Circulation increased and the publication won two Pulitzer Prizes, but the owner, conservative Harry Guggenheim, was unhappy with the paper’s shift to the left, and he and Moyers were divided over the Vietnam War and the 1968 presidential election.
    Carmel Dagan, Variety, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Raymond Cheadle, Honesty’s great-uncle, told WUSA the family, including the girl’s dad, is heartbroken.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
  • Pepe has the power to make two heartbroken Islanders immediately forget about their old connections.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • But August is perhaps a poor month in which to rally the staff.
    John Updike, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
  • For certain situations, particularly if someone is in poor health, experts generally say claiming early makes sense.
    Lorie Konish, CNBC, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • And at times, in certain places and situations, it was expected and welcome—on a long walk, or when a person confessed something pitiful, or at a funeral or a party.
    Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • This could have been a sad or pitiful moment; instead, it was suffused with warmth.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorry. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sorry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!