regretnoun [ C or U ]
uk/rɪˈɡret/us/rɪˈɡret/B2 a feeling of sadness about something sad or wrong or about a mistake that you have made, and a wish that it could have been different and better:
I left school at 16, but I've had a great life and I have no regrets.
The manager expressed deep regret at/for the number of staff reductions.
We think, much to our regret (= and we are very sorry about this), that we will not be able to visit you next year.
send (sb) your regrets
to send a polite message that you cannot go to a party, etc.:
We did have an invitation, but we had to send Graham our regrets.
More examples
- A funeral can amplify the feelings of regret and loss for the relatives.
- I have a tinge of regret that I didn't accept her offer.
- There was an overtone of regret in his farewell speech.
- She left her job with no regrets.
- Do you have any regrets about the way things worked out?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Sadness and regret
- a heavy heart idiom
- be/weigh on your conscience idiom
- bitter
- bring a lump to/have a lump in your throat idiom
- broken-hearted
- gloom
- gloomy
- guilt
- guilt complex
- guilt trip
- guilt-ridden
- guilt trip
- lament
- mourn
- repent
- rue
- rue the day idiom
- rueful
- sackcloth
- sad
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Refusing & rejecting
regretverb [ T ]
uk/rɪˈɡret/us/rɪˈɡret/-tt-B1 to feel sorry about a situation, especially something sad or wrong or a mistake that you have made:
Is there anything you've done in your life that you regret?
[ + -ing verb ] I have always regretted not having studied harder at school.
[ + (that) ] formal The council regrets (that) the money to subsidize the youth club is no longer available.
[ + to infinitive ] formal British Airways regret to announce the cancellation of flight BA205 to Madrid.
More examples
- Come Monday morning you'll regret staying up all night.
- I greatly regret not having told the truth.
- Please don't get mixed up with him. You'll regret it if you do.
- I regret any anxiety or concern which I may, unwittingly, have caused.
- After careful consideration of your proposal, I regret to say that we are unable to accept it.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Sadness and regret
- a heavy heart idiom
- be/weigh on your conscience idiom
- bitter
- bring a lump to/have a lump in your throat idiom
- broken-hearted
- gloom
- gloomy
- guilt
- guilt complex
- guilt trip
- guilt-ridden
- guilt trip
- lament
- mourn
- repent
- rue
- rue the day idiom
- rueful
- sackcloth
- sad
See more results »