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Meaning of sorry in English
 

sorry
adjective
UK 
 /ˈsɒr.i/ US 
 /ˈsɔːr.i/
sorry adjective (SAD)
 
A2 [ aft er verb  ]
feeling sadness, sympathy, or disappointment, especiallybecause
something unpleasant has happened or been done: 
I'm just sorry about all the trouble I've caused her.
He'd really upset her and he didn't seem at all sorry.
[ + (that)  ] I'm sorry (that) you had such a difficult journey.
[ + to infi niti ve  ] We were both sorry to hear you've been ill again.
I feel so sorry for their kids - it must be really hard for them.
Compare
apologetic
 feel sorry for yourself disapproving
 
to feel sad because you have a problem and you feel that it is not fair that you
are suffering so much: 
He sounded very sorry for himself on the phone.
 I'm sorry to say
 
used to show that something that must be said causes sadness or disappointment: 
I'm sorry to say that the project's funding has been cancelled.
Most people who start the exercise class do, I'm sorry to say, give up within the
first two weeks.
 More examples
 I feel sorry for the kids, too - they've had a hard time.
 I was sorry to hear about your trouble on holiday.
 I feel so sorry for people in that situation.
 I'm just sorry about messing him around again.
 I'm sorry you're ill - I hope you get well soon.
 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases 
sorry adjective (APOLOGY)
 
A1 [ aft er verb  ]
used to say that you wish you had not done what you have done, especially when
you want to be polite to someone you have done something bad to: 
Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't see you there.
Tom, I'm so sorry about last night - it was all my fault.
I've said I'm sorry.
 Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
 More examples
 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases 
sorry adjective (SAYING NO)
 I'm sorry
 
B2
used to show politeness when refusing something or disagreeing: 
I'm sorry, but I think you've made a mistake.
I'm sorry, I can't agree.
 More examples
 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases 
sorry adjective (BAD CONDITION)
 sorry sight, state, tale, etc.
 
a bad condition or situation: 
He was a sorry sight when he got home - soaking and covered in mud.
It's a sorry situation when there isn't any food in the house.
 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases 
 

sorry
exclamation
UK 
 /ˈsɒr.i/ US 
 /ˈsɔːr.i/
sorry exclamation (APOLOGY)
 
used when apologizing for something: 
"That's my foot you're stepping on." "Sorry!"
 Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
 More examples
 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases 
sorry exclamation (POLITE NEGATIVE)
 
used to show politeness when refusing something or disagreeing: 
Sorry, you can't go in there.
 
used when politely asking someone to repeat something or
when politely interrupting someone: 
"He's late." "Sorry?" "I said he's late."
Sorry, could you just say that last sentence again please?
 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases 
 (Definition of  sorry  from the  Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus  © Cambridge

University Press)

sorry | AMERICAN DICTIONARY

sorry
adjective
US 
 /ˈsɑr·i, ˈsɔr·i/
sorry adjective (ASKING FORGIVENESS)
 
feeling bad because you have caused trouble or difficulty to someone else: 
[ + (that) clause  ] I’m really sorry (that) I forgot about our appointmentyesterday.
 
Sorry is also used as a polite way to show your sympathy to someone because of
a loss, problem, or trouble the person has had: 
[ + to infi niti ve  ] We were sorry to learn about the death of yourgrandmother.
 
Sorry is also used as a polite way of asking someone to excuseyou for having done
something that might have annoyed the person: 
The train will be moving shortly – we are sorry for the inconvenience.
sorry adjective (POLITE REFUSAL)
 
used as a polite way of expressing refusal or disagreement: 
I’m sorry, but I think you’ve made a mistake in our check.
Sorry, you can’t go in there.
sorry adjective (BAD CONDITION)
 
[ -er/-est only  ] dated
so bad as to cause feelings of sympathy: 
They were a sorry sight, dressed in rags and so weak they
could hardly stand up.
Note: 

 describing a situation or condition

(Definition of  sorry  from the  Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary  © Cambridge University Press)

EXAMPLES OF SORRY
sorry
Based on our review of the literature, we identified seven apology terms (sorry, apologize,
excuse, pardon, regret, afraid, forgive).
From the Cambridge English Corpus
On the contrary, the soldiers whose task it was to guard them reportedly felt sorry for their
plight and treated them with affection.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
I'm sorry, but mediation is not the fastest and most efficient option - but settlement is.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Proponents of the ban, however, justified a complete ban on the basis of the precautionary
principle that it is better to be safe than sorry.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
I am sorry if this criticism is upsetting to the authors who have taken the trouble to describe
their work for us.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
But nothing she said or did could undo his sorry fate.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Many factors contribute to this sorry state of affairs.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
I am sorry this conflict is coming just now.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
This provided, by any reckoning, only sorry comfort.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
This book examines the whole sorry but fascinating tale in great detail.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Parents still grieve and ask in bewilderment why matters have come to such a sorry pass.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
One may feel vindictive towards or sorry for the other player.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Another area where culturally determined usage is observable is the use of sorry on every
occasion that requires sympathy.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Its purely scientific side is sufficiently good to make one sorry that it was not done better.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Hasn't our long, sorry history of exclusion taught us anything?
From the Cambridge English Corpus
See all examples of sorry
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples
do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University
Press or its licensors. 
Translations of sorry
in Chinese (Traditional)
難過的, 悲傷的，難過的, 惋惜的…
See more 
in Chinese (Simplified)
难过的, 悲伤的，难过的, 惋惜的…
See more 
in Spanish
apenado, arrepentido, perdona…
See more 
in Portuguese
penalizado, arrependido, arrependido/-da…
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in more languages
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sorrowed
sorrowful
sorrowfully
sorrowing
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sorry for your loss idiom
sort
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sort of idiom
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More meanings of sorry
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  sorry for your loss idiom
 better safe than sorry idiom
See all meanings 
 Idioms
 
WORD OF THE DAY
sincere
(of a person, feelings, or behaviour) not pretending or lying; honest

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