Definition of sorrynext
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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 Some personalities, though, just will never make the cut – sorry, Jar Jar. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 May 2026 This is beyond insane, and a sorry excuse for the state of the Supreme Court. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026 And sorry, but there’s just no denying that Karen Sillas looks absolutely stunning in that little burgundy dress. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026 But sorry, Cloney — as he's been dubbed — is married, just like his twin. Laura Lane, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sorry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorry
Adjective
  • And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • As major college athletics continues to shift into for-profit, these types of sad measures are expected to continue, and private equity will continue to creep in.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
  • And such a sad story for Positano, and this whole region.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Just a pathetic, sad old man who hated the world and spent his days in solitude.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
  • The man who has been on fire since the Knicks first tipped off against the Atlanta Hawks shot a ghastly — nay, a pathetic — 53 percent from the field.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Padilla and Damon’s characters are driven to near-madness over the blue spots, with Damon’s husband character accusing their son, a delightfully ashamed Andrew Dismukes.
    Rima Parikh, Vulture, 10 May 2026
  • Appraisal will rely on the extent of your Radiohead fandom and your identification with creature-characters, often crying or cowering with their head in their hands, who are unremittingly sad and ashamed and embarrassed by the barbarism of simple existence.
    Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Wait times, and particularly in the emergency department, wait times were skyrocketing, patient satisfaction, and everybody was just generally unhappy.
    Torie Bosch, STAT, 9 May 2026
  • Sources have told Deadline that Fox was originally unhappy with the creative on Season 14 of the show, but collaborated with the creative team and was ultimately sated.
    Peter White, Deadline, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • So, understandably, they were left heartbroken after discovering the dog had escaped his yard on Chicago's Northwest Side.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
  • The Beckhams, who sold their crash pad in One Museum Tower in downtown Miami, but maintain a spec house in Miami Beach, are said to be heartbroken about the estrangement.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • Harper opened a small dance studio, on Forty-sixth Street; business was poor until Bradley was hired and revamped Delroy’s act.
    Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
  • Still vehicle electronics can be damaged from reverse polarity, poor or wrong connection points or voltage spikes from improper equipment.
    Hartford Courant, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • Will the harsh weather mean poor growth and pitiful harvests?
    Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 8 May 2026
  • Written as a response to the utopian fiction that consumed Russia’s intelligentsia at the time, Notes from Underground is a mirror that reflects the ugliest, most pitiful aspects of humanity back at us.
    Big Think, Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorry. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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