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as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness was sorry to see the family farm being sold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Nobody is going to feel sorry for you, so keep your head up and keep moving forward. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025 Sonos is very, very sorry for ruining your speaker system. Boone Ashworth, Wired News, 9 May 2025 Arnold said the band is sorry they were forced to cancel their summer tour, which was set to kick off on May 15 at Daytona Beach and travel across America, co-headlining with Creed for select shows. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025 In other words, guests who shell out $75K a pop to go to this thing are better off safe than sorry. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 7 May 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
  • To some, this may sound bizarre, laughable, or even just plain sad.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
  • Banks: There’s a reason why the theater [symbol] is a happy face/sad face.
    Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • Anyone who tells you different is a liar (and pathetic, and alone in life).
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
  • The politicized fantasy and horror films by Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele are merely pathetic.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Up until now, though, those flashbacks, while frustrating, were explaining something about the characters, if crudely: This is why Sister Agnes blames herself; this is why Brian feels so ashamed.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 11 June 2025
  • The mother felt ashamed that her son had missed so much school.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Additionally, the more fiscally conservative Senate is increasingly unhappy with the cost of the bill, which is estimated to add $3.1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Four of its main characters are in unhappy marriages and cheating on their spouses, which is sometimes awkwardly played for laughs.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Courtesy of Lionsgate The heartbroken little girl with the ballerina music box will grow up to be Ana de Armas’ Eve Macarro, a young woman bent on—what else?—avenging her father’s murder.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 June 2025
  • The second track on the LP told the story of a heartbroken barmaid pining after a sailor who refused to give up his nomadically maritime lifestyle for her.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Massive clouds of pollutants could collide in North Carolina this week and result in poor air quality conditions for millions.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 5 June 2025
  • The risk extends even to children due to increasing rates of childhood obesity and poor dietary habits.20 As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthy adults have their lipids checked every four to six years.
    MD Published, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • For better or worse, high-end eco-resorts of this type tend to focus on hyper-local ingredients often grown in a pitiful little garden behind the kitchen.
    Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
  • From ’01 to ’20, the Knicks played in only 30 postseason games, posting a pitiful 9-21 record.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorry. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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