sor ‧ ry S1 W2 /ˈsɒri $ ˈsɑːri, ˈsɔːri/ BrE AmE adjective ( comparative sorrier , superlative sorriest )
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: sarig , from sar ( ⇨ ↑ sore 1 ); influenced by sorrow ) ]
1 . sorry/I’m sorry spoken
a) used to tell someone that you wish you had not done something that has affected them badly, hurt them etc:
I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.
‘Matt, stop doing that!’ ‘Sorry!’
I’m sorry, did I step on your foot?
sorry (that)
I’m sorry I’m late – the traffic was terrible.
sorry/I’m sorry about
Sorry about the mess – I’ll clean it up.
sorry for (doing) something
I’m sorry for making such a fuss.
Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again?
b) used as a polite way of introducing disappointing information or a piece of bad news:
I’m sorry, but all the flights to Athens are fully booked.
c) used when you have said something that is not correct, and want to say something that is correct:
Turn right – sorry left – at the traffic lights.
d) used when you refuse an offer or request:
‘Are you coming to lunch?’ ‘Sorry, no. I’ve got to finish this work.’
‘I’ll give you $50 for it.’ ‘Sorry, no deal.’
e) used when you disagree with someone, or tell someone that they have done something wrong:
I’m sorry, but I find that very hard to believe, Miss Brannigan.
2 . ASHAMED [not before noun] feeling ashamed or unhappy about something bad you have done
sorry for
She was genuinely sorry for what she had done.
sorry (that)
Casey was sorry he’d gotten so angry.
say (you are) sorry (=tell someone that you feel bad about hurting them, causing problems etc)
It was probably too late to say sorry, but she would try anyway.
3 . sorry? especially British English spoken used to ask someone to repeat something that you have not heard properly SYN pardon :
Sorry? What was that again?
‘Want a drink?’ ‘Sorry?’ ‘I said, would you like a drink?’
4 . FEELING PITY be/feel sorry for somebody to feel pity or sympathy for someone because something bad has happened to them or because they are in a bad situation:
I’ve got no sympathy for him, but I feel sorry for his wife.
Tina was sorry for her. She seemed so lonely.
feel sorry for yourself (=feel unhappy and pity yourself)
It’s no good feeling sorry for yourself. It’s all your own fault.
5 . SAD/DISAPPOINTED [not before noun] feeling sad about a situation, and wishing it were different
sorry (that)
Brigid was always sorry she hadn’t kept up her piano lessons.
sorry to do something
We were sorry to miss your concert.
I won’t be sorry to leave this place.
sorry to hear/see/learn
I was sorry to hear about your accident.
sorry about
I’m so sorry about your father (=sorry something bad has happened to him) .
6 . you’ll be sorry spoken used to tell someone that they will soon wish they had not done something, especially because someone will be angry or punish them:
You’ll be sorry when your dad hears about this.
7 . I’m sorry to say (that) spoken used to say that you are disappointed that something has happened:
I wrote several times but they never replied, I’m sorry to say.
8 . VERY BAD [only before noun] very bad, especially in a way that makes you feel pity or disapproval:
the sorry state of the environment
It’s a sorry state of affairs when an old lady has to wait 12 hours to see a doctor.
the sorry sight of so many dead animals
This whole sorry episode (=bad thing that happened) shows just how incompetent the government has become.
⇨ better safe than sorry at ↑ safe 1 (9)