adj
regretful
Regretful (adj) means feeling or showing regret. Example: “She gave a regretful smile and turned down the offer.”
adj
1
Feeling or showing regret.
"She gave a regretful smile and turned down the offer."
How to use regretful
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFeeling sorry about something.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "regrettable," which describes the thing itself (an event) rather than a person's feelings about it.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more regretful
- Superlative
- most regretful
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She gave a _____ smile and turned down the offer.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for regretful
See all rhymes for regretful →Frequently asked questions
What does “regretful” mean?
The word “regretful” means feeling or showing regret. In plain terms, feeling sorry about something.
How do you use “regretful” in a sentence?
Here is “regretful” used in a sentence: “She gave a regretful smile and turned down the offer.”
What is another word for “regretful”?
Words with a similar meaning to “regretful” include repining, sorry and rueful.
What is the opposite of “regretful”?
The opposite of “regretful” — its antonyms — are unregretful, unrepining, unsorry and unrueful.
What part of speech is “regretful”?
“Regretful” is an adjective.
