regretful
/rɪˈɡrɛtfʊl
/ /rɪˈɡrɛtf(ə)l/adjective
Feeling or showing regret: he sounded regretful but pointed out that he had committed himself...
- Jason kneeled near the dog, and gave a regretful smile.
- He walked out with somewhat a regretful smile on his face, his eyes lost in the past; he nearly walked into the closed door!
- In one case, a tiny, angry-looking boy is judged sufficiently regretful to return to the school where he threatened a bodyguard.
Synonyms
sorry, remorseful, contrite, repentant, rueful, penitent, conscience-stricken, apologetic, abject, guilty, guilt-ridden, ashamed, shamefaced, sheepish, in sackcloth and ashes, afraid
rare compunctious
sad, unhappy, sorrowful, dejected, depressed, downcast, miserable, downhearted, down, despondent, despairing, disconsolate, out of sorts, desolate, wretched, glum, gloomy, dismal, blue, melancholy, melancholic, low-spirited, mournful, woeful, woebegone, doleful, forlorn, crestfallen
informal down in the mouth, down in the dumps
Derivatives
regretfulness
- Heavy use of close-ups and a restlessly moving camera consistently evoke a sense of ‘now,’ which lends the regretfulness and nostalgia of the film's later sequences a great deal of power.
- I am truly contrite, penitent, repentant, remorseful and steeped in the tears of my regretfulness.
- He was standing above me with genuine pity and regretfulness.
- outstate
- outstation
- outstation cheque
- outstationed
- outstation movement
- outstay
- outstay one's welcome
- outstay (or overstay) one's welcome
- outsteam
- outstep
- outstill
- outstink
- outstrain
- outstreaming
- out-stress
- outstretch
- outstride
- outstrike
- outstrip
- outstroke
- outstroke rent
- outstryder
- outsucken
- outsuffer
- outswagger