Synonyms of remorse
53 similar words · 5 opposite words
Another word for remorse is repentance. Other synonyms of remorse are guilt, contrition, penitence, compunction and agenbite. The opposite of remorse is apathy.
Synonyms and similar words for remorse
nounA feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
- agenbiteRemorse, ayenbite.
- repentanceThe condition of being repentant, penitent, a state of feeling regret or remorse for having done wrong.
nounSorrow; pity; compassion.
- misery
- sympathyA feeling of pity or sorrow for the suffering or distress of another.
- unhappinessThe feeling of not being happy.
- blueness
- tristesse literarySadness.
- mirthlessLacking mirth; devoid of joy; sad.
- blues
- crestfallennessThe quality of being crestfallen.
- dejection
- depression
- despondency
- distress
- dolefulnessThe characteristic of being doleful; sadness.
- downheartednessThe characteristic of being downhearted; sadness.
- forlornnessThe state or characteristic of being forlorn; sadness; loneliness.
- grief
- ill-being
- infelicity
- melancholia
- melancholy
- mourn literary
- sadness
- sorrow
- sorrowfulnessThe quality or state of sorrow; sadness.
- tristfulnessSadness; sorrow; melancholy.
- undelight
- woe
- woefareDiscontentment; sorrow; unhappiness.
- wretchedness
- commiserationThe act of commiserating; sorrow for the hardships or afflictions of another; pity; compassion.
- compassion
- empathy
- fellow feelingA sense of sympathy for, consideration of, or shared interests with one or more other human beings.
- mercyForgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.
- pityA feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
- tenderheartednessThe characteristic of being tenderhearted.
- loving-kindness
- drearihead obsoleteSadness; dreariness.
- heartsore rareHeartache, misery, grief.
- mishappiness obsoleteUnhappiness; wretchedness; misery.
- prosternation obsoleteDejection; depression.
- regret obsoleteEmotional pain on account of something done or experienced in the past, with a wish that it had been different; a...
- rue archaic, dialectalSorrow; repentance; regret.
- ruth obsoleteSorrow for the misery of another person; compassion, mercy, pity.
- bowels archaicCompassion, sympathy.
nounMore synonyms
- compunctionA pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is slight or fleeting.
- contritionThe state of being contrite; sincere penitence or remorse.
- 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.
- sorriness
Opposite of remorse
nounMore antonyms
- apathyLack of emotion or motivation; lack of interest or enthusiasm towards something; disinterest (in something).
- irrepentanceLack of repentance; impenitence.
- nonrepentanceLack of repentance.
- unremorsefulnessThe state or condition of being unremorseful; lack of remorse.
- unrepentanceLack of repentance; failure to repent.
Meaning of remorse
- noun A feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
- noun Sorrow; pity; compassion.
- verb To experience remorse or sorrow; to regret.
remorse in other languages
Questions about synonyms of remorse
- What is another word for remorse?
- Remorse has 53 synonyms on Word.ws, such as repentance, guilt, contrition, penitence, compunction, agenbite and self-reproach.
- What is the opposite of remorse?
- The opposite of remorse is apathy.
- What does remorse mean?
- Remorse means a feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: remorse (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 remorse.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/remorse. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.