DictionaryAI

sorry

SAH-ree/ˈsɑɹ.i/UKSO-ree/ˈsɒɹ.i/

Adjectivesorrier, sorriest

Noun pluralsorries, sorrys

11 meanings of sorry

Practice

  1. 1
    I apologizeinterjection
    Said when you want to say you feel bad about something you did.

    Sorry, I broke your favorite mug.

    Sorry I lied to you about the money.

    UsageSay sorry for or sorry about what you did.

    Similarapologies

    Note
  2. 2
    adjective
    Feeling bad about something you did and wishing you had not done it.

    He was sorry for breaking the window.

    I'm sorry I lied to you.

    UsageSay sorry for something or sorry about it.

    Similarapologetic, regretful, remorseful, repentant, penitent

    Oppositeunrepentant, unapologetic, remorseless

  3. 3
    interjection
    Said before you say something that might upset or annoy someone.

    Sorry, but I really don't agree with that.

    Sorry, that's just not going to work for me.

    UsageSay Sorry, but ... before something the listener may not like.

    Similarapologies

    Note
  4. 4
    adjective
    Feeling sad for someone because they are in trouble or have had bad luck, usually used with "for".

    I felt sorry for the little boy who lost his balloon at the fair.

    We were sorry for our neighbor when his old dog got sick.

    UsageSay you feel sorry for someone.

    Note
  5. 5
    adjective
    Feeling sad, especially because someone or something is gone.

    We were all sorry to hear that she had moved away.

    He felt sorry that the old shop had closed for good.

    UsageSay I'm sorry to hear that when someone has bad news.

    Similarmournful, melancholy

    Oppositeglad, happy, pleased

    Note
  6. 6
    pitifuladjective
    Very bad or in poor condition, making you feel pity or disgust.

    After the storm, the garden was in a sorry state.

    The lost, shivering puppy was a sorry sight.

    UsageSay something is in a sorry state.

    Similarpitiful, wretched, sad, miserable, pathetic

  7. 7
    nouncountable
    An apology, or words that tell someone you feel bad about something.

    He never even gave me a sorry for what he did.

    A quick sorry isn't enough to fix this.

    Similarapology

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of sorry apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Old English "sārig," meaning sad or grieved. Although it looks like "sorrow," the two words are not related.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts