Find Synonyms

sorry Synonyms

Another word for sorry

Choosing another word for sorry depends on context, so the 38 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 5 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Feeling regret, remorse, or penitence for an action, mistake, or omission.

Usage Example

"She was genuinely regretful for forgetting to attend her colleague's presentation."

Strongest
regretful
remorseful
apologetic
Strong
contrite
penitent
repentant
guilty
ashamed
rueful
Weak
sheepish

• interjection (Context 2)

Used to apologize for a minor fault, interruption, or social inconvenience.

Usage Example

"excuse me, I didn't realize someone was already sitting in this seat."

Strongest
excuse me
pardon me
Strong
my bad
forgive me
pardon
Weak
oops

• adjective (Context 3)

Feeling sympathy, pity, or compassion for someone else's misfortune or distress.

Usage Example

"We were all very sympathetic to hear about the sudden passing of your grandfather."

Strongest
sympathetic
Strong
compassionate
saddened
pitying
empathetic
commiserative
heartbroken
Weak
grief-stricken
sorrowful

• interjection (Context 4)

Used to politely ask someone to repeat something that was not heard or understood clearly, or to correct oneself immediately in speech.

Usage Example

"pardon, could you speak a little louder so the people in the back can hear?"

Strongest
pardon
excuse me
pardon me
Strong
come again
what
Weak
huh

• adjective (Context 5)

In a poor, wretched, or pitiful state; inspiring disdain or meriting little respect.

Usage Example

"After decades of neglect, the historic theater had fallen into a pitiful state of disrepair."

Strongest
pitiful
pathetic
wretched
Strong
deplorable
lamentable
miserable
shabby
sad
woeful
paltry

Opposites of sorry

The opposite of sorry shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

unapologetic
unsympathetic
unrepentant
remorseless
admirable
indifferent
splendid
impenitent
See all opposites of sorry

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Sorry. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/sorry
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