Standard Lemma guide

regrettably

adv · 2 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

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  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 G R EH1 T AH0 B L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a manner inspiring or deserving regret.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Your exam results are regrettably poor: you should regretfully reflect on all the time wasted reading comics.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: regretfully, unfortunately

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

by bad luck

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • unfortunately it rained all day
  • alas, I cannot stay

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unfortunately, unluckily, alas

Antonyms: none provided

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 Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dhlom Proto-Indo-European *-dhlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English regrettable Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English regrettably From regrettable + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: lamentablement — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Chinese Mandarin: 遗憾地 — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Chinese Mandarin: 抱歉地 — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Danish: beklageligvis — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Danish: desværre — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Esperanto: bedaŭrinde — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Finnish: valitettavasti — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Galician: lamentablemente — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Galician: lamentabelmente — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Georgian: სამწუხაროდ (samc̣uxarod) — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • German: bedauerlicherweise — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Hungarian: sajnálatosan — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Macedonian: нажалост (nažalost) — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Portuguese: lamentavelmente — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Spanish: lamentablemente — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret
  • Spanish: desgraciadamente — in a manner inspiring or deserving regret