regret

UK: /rɪˈgrɛt/ US: /rɪˈgrɛt/ ,(ri gret′)

Inflections of 'regret' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

regrets

v 3rd person singular

regretting

v pres p

regretted

v past

regretted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•gret /rɪˈgrɛt/   v., -gret•ted, -gret•ting, n. 
v. 

1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, event, etc.): [~ + object]
   said he did not regret his decision to retire.
   [~ + verb-ing]
   The thief said he regretted stealing the money.
   [~ + (that) clause]
   He regrets that he cannot be here in person tonight.
2. (used in the present tense to express sorrow):
   [not: be + ~-ing* ~ + to + verb] We regret to inform you that the train will be late.

n. 

3. a feeling of sorrow, unhappiness, or guilt for a fault, wrong act, a loss, etc.:
   [uncountable] a sudden pang of regret.
   [countable] had no regrets.
4. regrets, [plural] a polite, usually formal refusal of an invitation:
   sent my regrets.

re•gret•ful, adj. 
re•gret•ful•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•gret  (ri gret′), v., -gret•ted, -gret•ting, n. 
v.t. 

1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.):
   He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.
2. to think of with a sense of loss:
   to regret one's vanished youth.

n. 

3. a sense of loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, etc.
4. a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, etc.
5. regrets, a polite, usually formal refusal of an invitation:
   I sent her my regrets.
6. a note expressing regret at one's inability to accept an invitation:
   I have had four acceptances and one regret.

• Gmc (compare greet²)
• Middle French regreter, Old French, equivalent. to re- re- + -greter, perh.
• Middle English regretten (verb, verbal) 1300–50

re•gret′ter, n. 
re•gret′ting•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. deplore, lament, bewail, bemoan, mourn, sorrow, grieve.
  Regret, penitence, remorse imply a sense of sorrow about events in the past, usually wrongs committed or errors made.
  Regret is distress of mind, sorrow for what has been done or failed to be done:
  to have no regrets.
  Penitence implies a sense of sin or misdoing, a feeling of contrition and determination not to sin again:
  a humble sense of penitence.
  Remorse implies pangs, qualms of conscience, a sense of guilt, regret, and repentance for sins committed, wrongs done, or duty not performed:
  a deep sense of remorse.

Antonyms

• 1. rejoice.
• 4. joy.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

regret / rɪˈɡrɛt/ verb ( -grets, -gretting, -gretted)(transitive)

1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to feel sorry, repentant, or upset about
2. to bemoan or grieve the death or loss of

noun

1. a sense of repentance, guilt, or sorrow, as over some wrong done or an unfulfilled ambition
2. a sense of loss or grief
3. (plural) a polite expression of sadness, esp in a formal refusal of an invitation

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French regrete, of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse grāta to weep

reˈgretful adjective

reˈgretfully adverb

reˈgretfulness noun

reˈgrettable adjective

reˈgrettably adverb

USAGE
Regretful and regretfully are sometimes wrongly used where regrettable and regrettably are meant: he gave a regretful smile; he smiled regretfully; this is a regrettable (not regretful) mistake; regrettably (not regretfully), I shall be unable to attend