Synonyms of sorry
120 similar words
Another word for sorry is apologetic. Other synonyms of sorry are poor, sad, rueful, low and pathetic.
Synonyms and similar words for sorry
adjectiveRegretful or apologetic for one's actions.
- apologeticHaving the character of apology; regretfully excusing.
- compunctiousExhibiting compunctions, scruples, feelings of guilt.
- contrite
- penitent
- regretful
- remorseful
- repentantFeeling or showing sorrow for wrongdoing.
- repiningThe act of fretting or feeling discontent or of murmuring.
- ruefulCausing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way.
- guilt-riddenHaving a strong sense of guilt.
adjectiveGrieved or saddened, especially by the loss of something or someone.
- heavy-heartedSad, melancholic.
- melancholy
- mournful
- atrabiliary
- atrabilious
- blitheless
- dispiritedWithout energy, gusto or drive, enervated, without the will to accomplish, disheartened.
- blue
- bummed outDepressed, disappointed, in a gloomy mood.
- chapfallenCrestfallen, dejected.
- cheerlessDevoid of cheer; gloomy.
- chopfallenSynonym of chapfallen.
- crestfallen
- cut up Australia, UK
- damp figuratively
- dejectedSad and dispirited.
- depressed
- despondentIn low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
- disgruntledIn a dissatisfied, frustrated, or upset mood; in a bad temper or ill humour.
- disconsolate
- disheartenedDiscouraged, despairing.
- dismal
- dolefulFilled with grief, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness.
- dolesomeCharacterised or marked by sorrow and grief; doleful; dismal; gloomy.
- down
- down in the dumpsSad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.
- down in the mouthSad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.
- downcast
- downheartedSad, discouraged, in low spirits, unhappy, having no hope.
- downsomeLow-spirited; melancholy.
- dull
- elegiac
- elegiousMelancholy, miserable, plaintive.
- forlorn
- gloomy
- glumDespondent; moody; sullen.
- grief-strickenVery sad.
- grievingFeeling or showing sorrow or distress due to loss, especially the death of someone.
- heartsoreHeartsick.
- heartsickVery despondent or sorrowful; heartsore.
- inconsolableNot consolable; unable to be consoled or comforted, usually due to grief, disappointment, or other distress.
- infelicitous
- jawfallen
- joylessWithout joy; unhappy, sad.
- lachrymoseTearful, sorrowful, sad, pertaining to tears, weeping, causing tears or crying.
- lowNot high in status, esteem, or rank, dignity, or quality. (Compare vulgar.).
- low-spiritedDisheartened, feeling low, in low spirits.
- lugubriousGloomy, mournful or dismal, especially to an exaggerated degree.
- melancholic
- miserableWretched; worthless; mean; contemptible.
- moody
- mopeyGiven to moping; in a depressed condition, low in spirits; lackadaisical.
- moroseSullen, gloomy; showing a brooding ill humour.
- plaintiveSounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic.
- Plutonian
- Plutonic
- querulousOften complaining; suggesting a complaint in expression; fretful, whining.
- ruthful
- sadPoor in quality, bad; shameful, deplorable; later, regrettable, poor.
- saddened
- saturnine
- shattered
- solemn
- sombre
- sorrowful
- sorrow-riddenFilled with sorrow or sorrows.
- sorrowsomeMarked by sorrow; sad; dreary; sorrowful.
- spiritlessLacking energy, drive, motivation or emotion. Enervated.
- sullen
- threnetic
- threneticalThrenetic.
- uncheerfulNot cheerful.
- uncheeryNot cheery; gloomy, pessimistic.
- unconsolableSynonym of inconsolable.
- unhappy
- unlivelyNot lively.
- wistful
- woebegone
- woefulWretched; paltry; poor.
- wretchedOf a person, etc.: behaving in a manner causing contempt; base, despicable, wicked.
- lamentful rareReplete with lamentation; mournful.
- lumpish obsolete
- passionate obsolete
- triste rareSad; sorrowful; gloomy.
- tristful archaicSad, melancholic.
- woe obsoleteWoeful; sorrowful.
adjectivePoor, pitifully sad or regrettable.
- patheticArousing scorn or contempt, often due to miserable inadequacy.
- pitiableThat deserves, evokes or can be given pity; pitiful.
- piteous
- pitifulSo appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity.
- pitisomeCharacterised or marked by pitifulness; piteous.
- poorOf low quality.
- snivelly
- sorry-ass slang, vulgarPitiful, worthless; utterly terrible or dire.
- compassionate obsolete
- pathetisad rarePathetic: arousing scornful pity or contempt.
adjectivePathetic; contemptibly inadequate.
- deficient
- insufficient
- awantingMissing; wanting; deficient or absent.
- exiguousScanty; meager.
- geason UK, dialectal
- inadequateNot adequate; lacking in quality or quantity required; insufficient for a purpose.
- lean
- lousyUnderhanded; mean; contemptible.
- meager
- measly
- paltry
- raunchy
- scant
- scantlingNot plentiful; small; scanty.
Meaning of sorry
- adjective Regretful or apologetic for one's actions.
- adjective Grieved or saddened, especially by the loss of something or someone.
- adjective Poor, pitifully sad or regrettable.
sorry in other languages
Questions about synonyms of sorry
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: sorry (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.
Last updated:
Cite this page: “Synonyms of sorry.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/sorry. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.