1
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
one more sorry stunt like that and you'll be fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
causing unhappiness
we have sorry news to report tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
the ragtag circus was a sorry spectacle indeed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ashamed
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
she's genuinely sorry for hurting his feelings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
was sorry to see the family farm being sold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in heartbroken
expressing or suggesting mourning
those sorry rituals that we go through when somebody dies are not for the dead but for the living
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in poor
deserving of one's pity
some sorry wretch had the task of putting all of those files back in order
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
For those who’ve been following the series closely, the Ars staff is sorry for the long gap!
—
ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
And, sorry to the Skywalkers, but this is Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu's time to shine.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 23 May 2026
As this page has chronicled, everything from airline turf wars and safety concerns to a sorry on-time performance went into that determination.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
For those wishing to hand everyone an F for not winning the Stanley Cup, sorry.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sorry
ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
And, sorry to the Skywalkers, but this is Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu's time to shine.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 23 May 2026
As this page has chronicled, everything from airline turf wars and safety concerns to a sorry on-time performance went into that determination.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
For those wishing to hand everyone an F for not winning the Stanley Cup, sorry.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sorry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorry
Adjective
-
The Browns are clearly in rebuild mode, with 2026 expected to be a lame-duck season at quarterback with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting job for a season before the team uses the 2027 draft to select its latest quarterback of the future.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
Initially blocked by recalcitrant Democratic members of the House, the legislation was reintroduced during a lame-duck session following the 2024 election.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The sad thing is that the miseries return, but there is no other Garrincha available.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Cesar's family and friends during this very sad time.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
By then, Thomsen says, the public perception had shifted from regarding it as tough and controversial to seeing it as desperate and pathetic.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
The plan involved discovering a long lost princess, hopping on a plane to London, breaking into a museum store room, and enlisting the help of a very pathetic historian.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
At their most effective, residential schools left Survivors ashamed and confused about being Indigenous.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Mike Isaac, a veteran tech reporter for the Times, wasn’t ashamed to admit that Brockman had inspired him to secure his own butt pillow.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
What’s leaving one unhappy child at home compared to sending five hundred people home from the theatre happy?—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Shohei Ohtani almost became the most unhappy pitcher to ever be part of throwing a no-hitter.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Ali later finds her, a moment that leaves him completely heartbroken, before testing the drugs and confirming they were laced with fentanyl.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
-
Horace leaves Hollywood and a heartbroken but determined Aaron behind.—
Meredith Maran,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Common travel regrets stem from preventable issues like poor planning, budget problems, and choosing the wrong companions.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
O’Farrell’s inclination for narratives propelled by brutal coincidence and fatally poor timing tenders a Hardy-esque vision of the world, one that emphasizes the rigid, often cruel limits of an individual’s jurisdiction over the course of their life.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Chilling moments like this are the lifeblood of The Dreamed Adventure, the moments that recall the pitiful last days of the dying communist era and the violent, mafia-style economics that whooshed in to replace them.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
-
There’s a mentality problem — that’s highlighted by a pitiful return of just one point out of a possible 24 away from home this season against teams in the top nine.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorry. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
