/ ˈsɒri; NAmE ˈsɑːri; ˈsɔːri/ adjective , exclamation
■ adjective ( sor·rier , sor·ri·est )
HELP NOTE : You can also use more sorry and most sorry .
1.
[ not before noun ] sorry (that ... ) | sorry (to see, hear, etc.) feeling sad and sympathetic :
I'm sorry that your husband lost his job.
We're sorry to hear that your father's in hospital again.
No one is sorrier than I am about what happened.
2.
[ not before noun ] sorry (that ... ) | sorry (for / about sth) feeling sad and ashamed about sth that has been done :
We're very sorry about the damage to your car.
She was sorry that she'd lost her temper.
If you say you're sorry we'll forgive you.
He says he's really sorry for taking the car without asking.
3.
[ not before noun ] sorry (that ... ) | sorry (to do sth) feeling disappointed about sth and wishing you had done sth different or had not done sth :
She was sorry that she'd lost contact with Mary.
You'll be sorry if I catch you!
I was genuinely sorry to be leaving college.
4.
[ only before noun ] very sad or bad, especially making you feel pity or disapproval :
The business is in a sorry state .
They were a sorry sight when they eventually got off the boat.
•
IDIOMS
- be / feel sorry for sb
- feel sorry for yourself
- I'm sorry
- I'm sorry to say
—more at safe adjective
■ exclamation
1.
used when you are apologizing for sth :
Sorry I'm late!
Did I stand on your foot? Sorry!
Sorry to bother you, but could I speak to you for a moment?
Sorry, we don't allow dogs in the house.
He didn't even say sorry .
2.
( especially BrE ) used for asking sb to repeat sth that you have not heard clearly :
Sorry? Could you repeat the question?
3.
used for correcting yourself when you have said sth wrong :
Take the first turning, sorry, the third turning on the right.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English sārig pained, distressed , of West Germanic origin, from the base of the noun sore . The shortening of the root vowel has given the word an apparent connection with the unrelated sorrow .