Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of regret

31 similar words

Another word for regret is guilt. Other synonyms of regret are repentance, penitence, compunction, sorriness and self-reproach.

Synonyms and similar words for regret

verbTo feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had...

  • rueTo repent of or regret (some past action or event); to wish that a past action or event had not taken place.

verbTo feel sorry about (any thing).

  • grieveTo experience grief.
  • lamentTo express grief; to weep or wail; to mourn.
  • besorrowTo sorrow about or over; care about; fill with care or sorrow; make sad.
  • darkenTo become gloomy, darker in mood.
  • gloomTo look or feel sad, sullen or despondent.
  • grievenTo make or become grievous or grief-stricken; to fill or be filled with grief.
  • bleed
  • moan poeticTo grieve.
  • mournTo express sadness or sorrow for; to grieve over (especially a death).
  • remorseTo experience remorse or sorrow; to regret.
  • repentTo feel pain, sorrow, or regret for what one has done or omitted to do; the cause for repenting may be indicated with...
  • sighTo lament; to grieve.
  • sorrowTo feel or express grief.
  • aggrieve obsoleteTo grieve; to lament.
  • condole obsoleteTo express deep sorrow; to grieve, to lament.
  • engrieve archaicTo grieve.
  • erme obsoleteTo grieve; to feel sad.
  • wayment obsoleteTo lament.
  • yearn obsolete

nounEmotional pain on account of something done or experienced in the past, with a wish that it had...

  • nostalgia
  • repentanceThe condition of being repentant, penitent, a state of feeling regret or remorse for having done wrong.
  • unsatisfactionDissatisfaction.
  • agenbiteRemorse, ayenbite.
  • compunctionA pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is slight or fleeting.
  • contrition
  • guiltRegret for having done wrong.
  • penitenceThe condition of being penitent; a feeling of regret or remorse for doing wrong or sinning.
  • self-reproachBlame or condemnation directed at the self, as by the conscience.
  • sorrinessThe state or quality of being sorry; regret.
  • ruth archaicDistress, misery, sorrow.

Meaning of regret

  1. verb To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.
  2. verb To feel sorry about (any thing).
  3. verb To miss; to feel the loss or absence of; to mourn.

Full definition of regret

regret in other languages

Questions about synonyms of regret

What is another word for regret?
Regret has 31 synonyms on Word.ws, such as guilt, repentance, penitence, compunction, sorriness and self-reproach.
What does regret mean?
Regret means to feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: regret (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of regret.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/regret. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.