Synonym Chooser

How is the word remorse distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of remorse are compunction, contrition, penitence, and repentance. While all these words mean "regret for sin or wrongdoing," remorse suggests prolonged and insistent self-reproach and mental anguish for past wrongs and especially for those whose consequences cannot be remedied.

thieves untroubled by feelings of remorse

When is compunction a more appropriate choice than remorse?

While in some cases nearly identical to remorse, compunction implies a painful sting of conscience especially for contemplated wrongdoing.

had no compunctions about taking back what is mine

When is it sensible to use contrition instead of remorse?

The words contrition and remorse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, contrition stresses the sorrowful regret that constitutes true penitence.

tearful expressions of contrition

When would penitence be a good substitute for remorse?

The synonyms penitence and remorse are sometimes interchangeable, but penitence implies sad and humble realization of and regret for one's misdeeds.

absolution is dependent upon sincere penitence

When might repentance be a better fit than remorse?

The words repentance and remorse can be used in similar contexts, but repentance adds the implication of a resolve to change.

repentance accompanied by a complete change of character

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 remorse Germany, a country that for decades has been expressing remorse for the nation’s crimes under Adolf Hitler, will be represented by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025 But usually there are preconditions for gaining forgiveness: admitting guilt, expressing remorse, making amends. Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025 The judge, Janet Bond Arterton, reduced Peeler’s federal sentence from 35 years to 15 years but declined to immediately release him from prison after federal prosecutors and Clarke’s family members pointed out that Peeler had never expressed remorse for the 1999 murders in Bridgeport. Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2025 Several defendants including Colt and Hemphill apologized or expressed remorse for their actions during the insurrection — with Hemphill going a step further and rejecting her pardon. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for remorse 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for remorse
Noun
  • Meta, which has committed to achieving carbon neutrality in its operations, is already working to assuage the guilt of relying on carbon dioxide emitting natural gas to run Sucré.
    Christopher Helman, Forbes, 8 Feb. 2025
  • The Åre Murders, which premiered globally on Netflix with five episodes, begins with the promise of a simple murder mystery but evolves into a study of the choices and consequences faced by characters who are all, at their core, driven by secrets and guilt.
    Isadora Wandermurem, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Harrison Ford has no regrets about donning Indiana Jones' famous fedora one last time.
    EW.com, EW.com, 7 Feb. 2025
  • But, at the same time, 82 percent of millennials who do own a home regret at least one aspect of their first home purchase, the survey found.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Might the title speak to a shame the exhibition itself sought to overcome?
    Richard Meyer, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
  • West’s hellfire-and-locust symbolism parodied biblical judgment, but such shame no longer applies to current secular permissiveness or the progressive ideology in Marxist writer Mike Davis’s City of Quartz (1990), famous for its subversive condemnation of Los Angeles’s capitalist elitism.
    Armond White, National Review, 31 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near remorse

Cite this Entry

“Remorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/remorse. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on remorse

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