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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

Examples 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 But this isn’t the polished prep of the past—sorry, Blair Waldorf! Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024 The Walking Dead used to be must-see TV, but years and years and years of mismanagement and AMC putting its faith in the wrong people have led us to this sorry state of affairs. Erik Kain, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 But don’t feel too sorry for Arnault: Despite the latest wipeout, the 75-year-old still has $182 billion to his name, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 16 Oct. 2024 The Wegmans in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard is—sorry to be dramatic—paradise on Earth: 74,000 square feet of high ceilings and long aisles, stocked with nearly everything a person could conceivably want to eat or drink. Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2024 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
  • Maybe not the question to ask a Canadian, but could sad smoke breaks bring America together today?
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
  • So there’s perhaps no greater sin than to serve a casserole with a sad, soggy topping.
    Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The upcoming sequel to This Is Spinal Tap will be turning the pathetic knobs all the way to 11.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
  • After a downright pathetic few weeks, the Russians regrouped—or at least got regrouped enough.
    Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Later, Pryor’s widow Jennifer confirmed the rumor, telling TMZ that her late husband was always open about his bisexuality with friends and would not be ashamed that the relationship was revealed publicly.
    Stephanie Petit, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
  • In Horse Crazy, Indiana’s first and best novel, his unnamed narrator invites a prospective boyfriend to his similarly cluttered apartment and feels ashamed—not of its mess, exactly, but of the sheer number of books on his shelves.
    Daniel Felsenthal, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Instead of simply telling CEOs that employees are unhappy, provide hard evidence that points to why.
    Alena Botros, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Pickford grew up in a quiet, unhappy house near Richmond Park, in southwest London.
    Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Monét began her tweet with five heartbroken emojis.
    Anna Chan, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Animal lovers have been left heartbroken by a dog who has already been adopted and returned to the shelter twice in her young life.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Exposure to high concentrations can cause people to lose consciousness and can lead to long-term effects such as headaches, poor attention span, poor memory and poor motor function, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
    Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
  • More than 40% of pregnant people were exposed to extreme heat, and nearly three-quarters lived in areas with poor air quality, the report found.
    Erika Edwards, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, nearly one-third of election offices don’t have any full-time staff, wages are pitiful, and turnover rates grew from 28 percent in 2004—already high—to nearly 39 percent in 2022.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2024
  • The plight of Zimbabwe, moreover, remains pitiful, a once prosperous country not only reduced to economic ruin but also trapped in a culture of corruption and violence that Mugabe fostered since gaining power in 1980 and that is now deeply embedded among the ruling elite.
    Martin Meredith, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018

Thesaurus Entries Near sorry

Cite this Entry

“Sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorry. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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