REGRET Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

regret 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈgret

Definition of regret next

as in to lament

to feel sorry or dissatisfied about we regret any inconvenience that we may have caused you

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples of regret in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The designer, in fact, regrets Milan is not more competitive, particularly after last week’s showings. —

Tonya Blazio-Licorish, WWD, 17 Oct. 2024 The start of the interview was dominated by Baier's questions about the millions of undocumented immigrants who have entered the U.S. since Biden took office, and whether Harris regrets reversing Trump's harsh border policies. —

Zachary Basu, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024

Noun

Currently in the throes of regret about missing meds and feeling unmotivated and irritable as a result, despite my original plan to run with the dog. —

R29 Team, refinery29.com, 23 Oct. 2024 Former Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke just took a painful trek into her TV past and came back with a handful of regrets. —

Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for regret

Recent Examples of Synonyms for regret

Verb

Watch on Deadline Cast members have lamented the network’s decision to shutter a broadcast television show that still commanded a large audience.

Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
And in some ways, lamenting the social juggernaut of misinformation is a little passé.

Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 17 Oct. 2024

Definition of lament

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“Regret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regret. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

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Last Updated: 1 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of regret

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Examples of regret in a Sentence

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