sorry
/ˈsɒri/ adjectiveDefinition
(I'm) sorry › something that you say to be polite when you have done something wrong, or when you cannot agree with someone or accept something: Sorry I'm late. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. Tom, I'm so sorry about last night - it was all my fault. I'm sorry, but I just don't think it's a good idea.
SYMPATHY › used to show sympathy or sadness for a person or situation: I feel sorry for the children - it must be very hard for them. I was sorry to hear about your brother's accident. [+ (that)] I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you.
Sorry? mainly UK › used as a polite way to say that you did not hear what someone has just said: Sorry? What was that?
WISH SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT › used to say that you wish something in the past had not happened or had been different: [+ (that)] I'm sorry that I ever met him.
a sorry sight/state/tale › a bad condition or situation: Her car was in a sorry state after the accident.
(Definition of sorry adjective from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary
© Cambridge University Press)
Our dictionaries
Browse the Thesaurus
Browse the Dictionary
Word of the Day
Blog
Read our blog about how the English language behaves.
New Words
Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.
