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as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness was sorry to see the family farm being sold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word sorry different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sorry are contemptible, despicable, pitiable, and scurvy. While all these words mean "arousing or deserving scorn," sorry may stress pitiable inadequacy or may suggest wretchedness or sordidness.

this rattletrap is a sorry excuse for a car

When is contemptible a more appropriate choice than sorry?

The meanings of contemptible and sorry largely overlap; however, contemptible may imply any quality provoking scorn or a low standing in any scale of values.

a contemptible liar

When might despicable be a better fit than sorry?

The synonyms despicable and sorry are sometimes interchangeable, but despicable may imply utter worthlessness and usually suggests arousing an attitude of moral indignation.

a despicable crime

Where would pitiable be a reasonable alternative to sorry?

While in some cases nearly identical to sorry, pitiable applies to what inspires mixed contempt and pity.

a pitiable attempt at tragedy

How are the words scurvy and despicable related as synonyms of sorry?

Scurvy adds to despicable an implication of arousing disgust.

a scurvy crew of hangers-on

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sorry So, ah, sorry about all of that, literal generations of Murdochs. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025 Curiously, over the decades that followed, writers could not resist the urge to project a big fat chip (sorry) onto the shoulders of England’s capital city. Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025 Paige Spiranac isn't sorry for for flaunting her body online. Natasha Dye, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025 There are though enumerable other options available, sorry to say. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sorry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorry
Adjective
  • As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.
    Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021
  • My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.
    Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
  • Though the courts have not invariably ruled against Trump, the Administration’s record so far is, to use one of the President’s favorite words, sad.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The sad story of Alex Verdugo was one of the most puzzling dramas of the MLB offseason.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Read more The pathetic, slow-motion downfall of Barack Obama Houseguests and fish begin to smell after three days, as the saying goes.
    Aris Folley, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Writing the most unbridled, impolite, unreasonable, pathetic rant that gives voice to unseen, unheard parts of you opens a relief valve that transfers emotional pain onto the page.
    Jessica DuLong, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The young Jamie desperately wants his father’s approval, but his dad is ashamed of him.
    Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Waging war on Denmark is wrong and will damage U.S. defense and foreign relations for decades We Americans should be ashamed of ourselves and of our government.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • King was on an errand to pick up a snack for his mom when he was shot, heartbroken relatives said.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Downs recovered from her injuries but remained heartbroken over the loss of her friends and overwhelmed with survivor's guilt.
    Laurel Morales, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Then someone pointed a finger at a surprising culprit: the soldiers’ poor health.
    Maxim Sytch, Harvard Business Review, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Road conditions are rapidly deteriorating, with the percentage of roads in poor condition expected to double in two years.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But the modern Democratic Party, rudderless and confused and reeling from a pitiful collective performance during Tuesday evening's presidential joint address to Congress, now confronts a fork in the road that's no joke.
    Newsweek, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • In the director’s world, fathers are pitiful providers, mothers are blandly cheerful (while quietly suffering enormously), and the kids see far more than their parents do.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorry. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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