释义
regretful
(once / 1858 pages)
adj
Regretful describes the feeling of being sorry for something you did — or didn't do — or something that happened. If you are regretful about how you treated your brother when you were little, you now wish you had been nicer.
Regret is a feeling of sorrow — wishing you could do something differently or undo an action. So, when you are regretful, you might feel frustrated, disappointed with yourself, embarrassed, or even sad. In fact, regretful comes from the Proto-Germanic word for weep, gretan . It can be hard to do, but the point is to learn from regretful experiences so you don't repeat them.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS regrettably / regretfully
Regrettably is used when something's a bummer, but it's not necessarily your fault. Regretfully is when you're full of regret, like if you decided to stay home and your friends saw your crush at the dance.
Both words have the same root: regret, meaning to feel sadness, repentance, or disappointment, but they each have their own way of dealing with it. Regrettably describes something that deserves regret, and is used like the word "unfortunately." Regrettably is like bad luck, and it often kicks off a sentence:
Regrettably , Mr. Gao and Dr. Liu's imprisonment reflect the increased assaults on the rule of law and the repression faced by human rights advocates in China. (Council for a Community of Democracies )
Regrettably, some consumer advocates have joined in that chorus. (New York Times )
"Regrettably , few weapons in the history of warfare, once created, have gone unused," Lynn said. (Forbes)
But regretfully is more like a polite way to say sadly , like if you must regretfully decline an invitation to the garden party. Or if you're full of regret, like if you regretfully stayed in on Saturday night because you thought the party would be boring. Regretfully can begin a sentence, but it usually doesn't:
"I am half sorry we spared him after all," Leonidas said regretfully . (Robert H. Fuller )
The man looked down at his boy sadly, sorrowfully, regretfully . (Maurice Thompson )
People have confused them so often, by using regretfully as a sentence adverb to mean unfortunately, that it's kind of okay to do it now. Both words look behind them and wish something else had happened, but regrettably is when it's not your fault, and regretfully is when you're full of it. (Regret, that is.)
WORD FAMILY regretful : regretfully, unregretful+ / regret : regretful, regrets, regrettable, regretted, regretting/ regrettable : regrettably/ regretting : unregretting/ unregretful : unregretfully
USAGE EXAMPLES Track how often specific subjects leave you regretful .
Time(Nov 29, 2016)
She added that the debate had been “lively,” and said, “Of course it’s regretful if someone feels offended.”
Seattle Times(Nov 16, 2016)
Instead, Mrs. Clinton was regretful and the slightest bit defiant.
New York Times(Nov 16, 2016)
adj
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone felt regretful over his vanished youthregretful over mistakes she had made
Syn | Ant
bad, sorry
penitent, repentant
feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
unregretful, unregretting
feeling no regret