Collocations for "sorry"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "sorry" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
sorry
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- I'm [so, really, very] sorry
- I was (very) sorry to [hear, learn]
- I was sorry to hear [of, about]
- [I am, I'm] sorry for [your loss, my actions, what happened]
- felt so sorry for her
- (I'm) sorry about the [mess, accident]
- am [truly, really, terribly] sorry
- sorry that I couldn't [come, make it, help more]
- sorry for causing you [concern, pain, trouble]
- sorry to cause you [so much trouble, inconvenience]
- Sorry? (What did you say?)
- sorry, I didn't (quite) catch that
- say you're sorry
- [she, the economy] is in a sorry state
- what a sorry little person
- are a sad and sorry bunch
- sorry!
'sorry' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Dutch
- Japanese
- agenda
- agree
- anguish
- asleep
- available
- awake
- bad
- be
- blunt
- broke
- bummer
- burden
- cancel
- closed
- confusion
- correction
- cranky
- dear
- deeply
- delay
- devil
- dice
- directory
- disaster
- distracted
- doubt
- engagement
- expertise
- fart
- fiancé
- fiancée
- frustrated
- gate
- gotta
- granted
- grumpy
- guarantee
- help
- hijack
- impolite
- inconvenience
- inconvenient
- listen
- loss
- luxury
- madam
- meat
- miss