noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/
/ɹəˈɡɹɛt/
/ɹiˈɡɹɛt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛt
CMU ARPABET:R AH0 G R EH1 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:R IH0 G R EH1 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Emotional pain on account of something done or experienced in the past, with a wish that it had been different; a looking back with dissatisfaction or with longing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The amount of avoidable loss that results from choosing the wrong action.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: decision theory
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A person invited to an event who was unable to attend, but notified the organizer of this beforehand; a nonattendee.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He regretted his words.
I don't regret enrolling in law, but I regret not studying some Chinese.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rue
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To feel sorry about (any thing).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
Examples
I regret that I have to do this, but I don't have a choice.
They said they regretted to inform us that the train would be late.
I regret to say that you did not gain admission to Harvard
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inform
Narrower terms: fear
10
verb
Meaning 10
decline formally or politely
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I regret I can't come to the party
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: refuse, decline
11
verb
Meaning 11
feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: repent, rue
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: feel, experience
12
verb
Meaning 12
feel sad about the loss or absence of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: miss
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re- Proto-Indo-European *ǵhreh1d-der. Proto-Germanic *grētaną Frankish *grātander. Old French *greter Old French regreterbor. Middle English regretten English regret From Middle English regretten, regreten, from Old French regreter, regrater (“to lament”), from re- (intensive prefix) + *greter, *grater (“to weep”), from Frankish *grātan (“to weep, mourn, lament”), from Proto-Germanic *grētaną (“to weep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵhreh1d- (“to sound”); and Frankish *greutan (“to cry, weep”), from Proto-Germanic *greutaną (“to weep, cry”), from Proto-Indo-European *ghrewd- (“to weep, be sad”), equivalent to re- + greet. Cognate with Old High German grāzan (“to cry”), Old English grǣtan (“to weep, greet”), Old English grēotan (“to weep, lament”), Old Norse gráta (“to weep, groan”), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽 (grētan, “to weep”). More at greet.
Across languages
Translations
227 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
keqardhje
— instance of such an emotion
American Sign Language:
A@Chest-PalmBack CirclesVert
— instance of such an emotion
Arabic:
أَسَف
(ʔasaf)
— instance of such an emotion
Arabic:
تَأَسُّف
(taʔassuf)
— instance of such an emotion
Armenian:
զղջում
(zġǰum)
— instance of such an emotion
Armenian:
ափսոսանք
(apʻsosankʻ)
— instance of such an emotion
Azerbaijani:
təəssüf
— instance of such an emotion
Basque:
damu
— instance of such an emotion
Belarusian:
шкадава́нне
(škadavánnje)
— instance of such an emotion
Belarusian:
жаль
(žalʹ)
— instance of such an emotion
Bengali:
আফসোস
(aphośōs)
— instance of such an emotion
Bulgarian:
съжаление
(sǎžalenie)
— instance of such an emotion
Catalan:
penediment
— instance of such an emotion
Catalan:
recança
— instance of such an emotion
Chinese Mandarin:
遺憾 /遗憾
(yíhàn)
— instance of such an emotion
Chinese Mandarin:
後悔 /后悔
(hòuhuǐ)
— instance of such an emotion
Czech:
lítost
— instance of such an emotion
Danish:
beklagelse
— instance of such an emotion
Danish:
anger
— instance of such an emotion
Dutch:
spijt
— instance of such an emotion
Dutch:
berouw
— instance of such an emotion
Esperanto:
bedaŭro
— instance of such an emotion
Faroese:
iðran
— instance of such an emotion
Faroese:
angur
— instance of such an emotion
Finnish:
katumus
— instance of such an emotion
Finnish:
valittelu
— instance of such an emotion
Finnish:
pahoittelu
— instance of such an emotion
French:
regret
— instance of such an emotion
Galician:
pesar
— instance of such an emotion
Galician:
arrepentimento
— instance of such an emotion
German:
Reue
— instance of such an emotion
German:
Bedauern
— instance of such an emotion
Gothic:
𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌲𐍉
(trigō)
— instance of such an emotion
Greek:
λύπη
(lýpi)
— instance of such an emotion
Hebrew:
חֲרָטָה
(harata)
— instance of such an emotion
Hindi:
अफ़सोस
(afsos)
— instance of such an emotion
Hindi:
पछतावा
(pachtāvā)
— instance of such an emotion
Hindi:
पश्चात्ताप
(paścāttāp)
— instance of such an emotion
Hungarian:
megbánás
— instance of such an emotion
Icelandic:
eftirsjá
— instance of such an emotion
Ido:
regreto
— instance of such an emotion
Ilocano:
babawi
— instance of such an emotion
Indonesian:
penyesalan
— instance of such an emotion
Irish:
aiféala
— instance of such an emotion
Irish:
cathú
— instance of such an emotion
Italian:
rammarico
— instance of such an emotion
Italian:
rimpianto
— instance of such an emotion
Italian:
rimorso
— instance of such an emotion
Italian:
pentimento
— instance of such an emotion
Japanese:
後悔
(kōkai)
— instance of such an emotion
Khmer:
សេចក្ដីស្ដាយក្រោយ
(səckdəy sdaay kraoy)
— instance of such an emotion
Korean:
후회
(huhoe)
— instance of such an emotion
Malay:
penyesalan
— instance of such an emotion
Māori:
kōrehu
— instance of such an emotion
Mongolian:
гэмшил
(gemšil)
— instance of such an emotion
Nepali:
आत्मग्लानि
(ātmaglāni)
— instance of such an emotion
Norman:
r'gret
— instance of such an emotion
Norwegian:
beklagelse
— instance of such an emotion
Norwegian:
anger
— instance of such an emotion
Old English:
hrēow
— instance of such an emotion
Persian:
افسوس
(afsus)
— instance of such an emotion
Piedmontese:
regret
— instance of such an emotion
Polish:
żal
— instance of such an emotion
Portuguese:
pesar
— instance of such an emotion
Portuguese:
arrependimento
— instance of such an emotion
Portuguese:
remorso
— instance of such an emotion
Romanian:
regret
— instance of such an emotion
Russian:
сожале́ние
(sožalénije)
— instance of such an emotion
Sindhi:
افسوس
(āfsos)
— instance of such an emotion
Slovak:
ľútosť
— instance of such an emotion
Spanish:
pesar
— instance of such an emotion
Spanish:
arrepentimiento
— instance of such an emotion
Spanish:
compunción
— instance of such an emotion
Swahili:
juto
— instance of such an emotion
Swahili:
sikitiko
— instance of such an emotion
Swedish:
beklagande
— instance of such an emotion
Swedish:
ånger
— instance of such an emotion
Telugu:
విచారం
(vicāraṁ)
— instance of such an emotion
Tocharian B:
onmiṃ
— instance of such an emotion
Tok Pisin:
belhevi
— instance of such an emotion
Ottoman Turkish:
اوگنج
(evgenc)
— instance of such an emotion
Ukrainian:
жаль
(žalʹ)
— instance of such an emotion
Urdu:
افسوس
(afsos)
— instance of such an emotion
Welsh:
gofid
— instance of such an emotion
Yiddish:
באַדויערונג
(badoyerung)
— instance of such an emotion
Albanian:
pendohem
— feel sorry about some past thing
American Sign Language:
A@Chest-PalmBack CirclesVert
— feel sorry about some past thing
Arabic:
نَدِمَ
(nadima)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Arabic:
تَأَسَّفَ
(taʔassafa)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Armenian:
զղջալ
(zġǰal)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Basque:
damutu
— feel sorry about some past thing
Belarusian:
шкадава́ць
(škadavácʹ)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Bulgarian:
съжаля́вам
(sǎžaljávam)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Bulgarian:
жаля́
(žaljá)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Catalan:
recar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Catalan:
penedir-se
— feel sorry about some past thing
Catalan:
pesar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Catalan:
lamentar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Chinese Mandarin:
後悔 /后悔
(hòuhuǐ)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Chinese Mandarin:
遺憾 /遗憾
(yíhàn)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Maore Comorian:
ujutsa
— feel sorry about some past thing
Czech:
litovat
— feel sorry about some past thing
Czech:
želet
— feel sorry about some past thing
Danish:
angre
— feel sorry about some past thing
Danish:
fortryde
— feel sorry about some past thing
Dutch:
betreuren
— feel sorry about some past thing
Dutch:
spijten
— feel sorry about some past thing
Dutch:
berouwen
— feel sorry about some past thing
Esperanto:
bedaŭri
— feel sorry about some past thing
Estonian:
kahetsema
— feel sorry about some past thing
Faroese:
angra
— feel sorry about some past thing
Finnish:
olla pahoillaan
— feel sorry about some past thing
Finnish:
katua
— feel sorry about some past thing
French:
regretter
— feel sorry about some past thing
Galician:
arrepentir
— feel sorry about some past thing
Galician:
lamentar
— feel sorry about some past thing
German:
bedauern
— feel sorry about some past thing
German:
bereuen
— feel sorry about some past thing
German:
leidtun
— feel sorry about some past thing
Gilbertese:
raraomaeakina
— feel sorry about some past thing
Gothic:
𐌹𐌳𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍉𐌽
(idreigōn)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Greek:
μετανιώνω
(metanióno)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Greek:
λυπούμαι
(lypoúmai)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Ancient Greek:
μεταμέλομαι
(metamélomai)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Ancient Greek:
μεταγιγνώσκω
(metagignṓskō)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Hawaiian:
mihi
— feel sorry about some past thing
Hebrew:
הצטער
(hitsta'ér)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Higaonon:
migbasol
— feel sorry about some past thing
Hindi:
पछताना
(pachtānā)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Hungarian:
sajnál
— feel sorry about some past thing
Hungarian:
megbán
— feel sorry about some past thing
Hungarian:
bán
— feel sorry about some past thing
Icelandic:
sjá eftir
— feel sorry about some past thing
Ido:
regretar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Interlingua:
lamentar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Interlingua:
regrettar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Italian:
rimpiangere
— feel sorry about some past thing
Italian:
rammaricarsi
— feel sorry about some past thing
Italian:
pentirsi
— feel sorry about some past thing
Italian:
lamentare
— feel sorry about some past thing
Japanese:
後悔する
(kōkai suru)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Japanese:
悔いる
(kuiru)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Japanese:
残念に思う
(zannen ni omou)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Khmer:
ស្តាយគំនិត
(sdaay kumnit)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Khmer:
នឹកស្តាយក្រោយ
(nɨk sdaay kraoy)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Khmer:
ស្ដាយ
(sdaay)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Korean:
후회하다
(huhoehada)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Ladin:
muië
— feel sorry about some past thing
Latin:
paeniteo
— feel sorry about some past thing
Latin:
lamentō
— feel sorry about some past thing
Low German:
leed dohn
— feel sorry about some past thing
Lutuv:
ngiepachiy
— feel sorry about some past thing
Macedonian:
жали
(žali)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Malay:
sesal
— feel sorry about some past thing
Māori:
whakapāha
— feel sorry about some past thing
Māori:
āwhitu
— feel sorry about some past thing
Māori:
kōhau
— feel sorry about some past thing
Māori:
pōuri
— feel sorry about some past thing
Mongolian:
гэмших
(gemšix)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Mongolian:
харамсах
(xaramsax)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Nepali:
पछुतो
(pachuto)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Nepali:
पश्चाताप
(paścātāp)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Norwegian Bokmål:
beklage
— feel sorry about some past thing
Norwegian Bokmål:
angre
— feel sorry about some past thing
Norwegian Nynorsk:
beklaga
— feel sorry about some past thing
Norwegian Nynorsk:
beklage
— feel sorry about some past thing
Norwegian Nynorsk:
angre
— feel sorry about some past thing
Old English:
hrēowan
— feel sorry about some past thing
Persian:
افسوس خوردن
(afsus xordan)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Persian:
افسوسیدن
(afsusidan)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Persian:
پشیمان شدن
(pašimân šodan)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Piedmontese:
regreté
— feel sorry about some past thing
Polish:
żałować
— feel sorry about some past thing
Portuguese:
arrepender-se
— feel sorry about some past thing
Portuguese:
lamentar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Russian:
сожале́ть
(sožalétʹ)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Russian:
жале́ть
(žalétʹ)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Sanskrit:
शोचति
(śocati)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Serbo-Croatian:
жа̏лити
— feel sorry about some past thing
Serbo-Croatian:
žȁliti
— feel sorry about some past thing
Serbo-Croatian:
zažaliti
— feel sorry about some past thing
Slovak:
ľutovať
— feel sorry about some past thing
Slovak:
žialiť
— feel sorry about some past thing
Slovene:
obžalovati
— feel sorry about some past thing
Spanish:
lamentar
— feel sorry about some past thing
Spanish:
arrepentirse [de]
— feel sorry about some past thing
Spanish:
repentirse [de]
— feel sorry about some past thing
Spanish:
compungirse
— feel sorry about some past thing
Sundanese:
hanjakal
— feel sorry about some past thing
Sundanese:
kaduhung
— feel sorry about some past thing
Swedish:
beklaga
— feel sorry about some past thing
Swedish:
ångra
— feel sorry about some past thing
Telugu:
విచారించు
(vicāriñcu)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Thai:
เสียใจ
(sǐia-jai)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Thai:
เสียดาย
(sǐia-daai)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Turkish:
pişman olmak
— feel sorry about some past thing
Ukrainian:
жалкува́ти
(žalkuváty)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Ukrainian:
шкодува́ти
(škoduváty)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Vietnamese:
hối tiếc
— feel sorry about some past thing
Vietnamese:
hối hận
— feel sorry about some past thing
Welsh:
edifaru
— feel sorry about some past thing
Yiddish:
באַדויערן
(badoyern)
— feel sorry about some past thing
Bulgarian:
съжалявам
(sǎžaljavam)
— to feel sorry about anything
Catalan:
recar
— to feel sorry about anything
Danish:
beklage
— to feel sorry about anything
Esperanto:
bedaŭri
— to feel sorry about anything
Faroese:
harmast
— to feel sorry about anything
Finnish:
olla pahoillaan
— to feel sorry about anything
Hindi:
पछताना
(pachtānā)
— to feel sorry about anything
Icelandic:
harma
— to feel sorry about anything
Ido:
regretar
— to feel sorry about anything
Indonesian:
menyesal
— to feel sorry about anything
Interlingua:
lamentar
— to feel sorry about anything
Interlingua:
regrettar
— to feel sorry about anything
Italian:
rammaricarsi
— to feel sorry about anything
Ladin:
muië
— to feel sorry about anything
Malay:
sesal
— to feel sorry about anything
Māori:
āwhitu
— to feel sorry about anything
Māori:
kaniawhea
— to feel sorry about anything
Norwegian Bokmål:
beklage
— to feel sorry about anything
Norwegian Nynorsk:
beklaga
— to feel sorry about anything
Norwegian Nynorsk:
beklage
— to feel sorry about anything
Portuguese:
lamentar
— to feel sorry about anything
Russian:
сожале́ть
(sožalétʹ)
— to feel sorry about anything
Spanish:
lamentar
— to feel sorry about anything
Swedish:
beklaga
— to feel sorry about anything
Thai:
เสียใจ
(sǐia-jai)
— to feel sorry about anything
