regret

Everyday

1. To regret something is to feel sorry or sad about something you did or did not do, and wish it had been different. tree →
2. Regret is that sad, sorry feeling. tree →
3. In polite, formal writing, «We regret…» means «We are sorry to say…». tree →

In the lessons

In stories and lessons about feelings, characters regret mean words or bad choices and then try to make things right. Phrases: «I regret it», «no regrets», «regret doing», «to my regret», «We regret to inform you».

Examples

• I regret shouting at my brother. tree →
• She regretted not wearing her coat when it started to snow. tree →
• He said sorry because he regretted breaking the vase. tree →
• Try things now so you have no regrets later. tree →
• We regret that the swimming pool is closed today. tree →
• The fox regretted being greedy when he lost his food. tree →
• It was not long, however, before he had cause to regret his weakness. tree →

Note

Past: «regretted» (double t). Adjectives: «regretful» (feeling regret) and «regrettable» (something to be sorry about). «Regret doing» = sorry about what you did; «regret to say» = sorry about what you are going to say.