INDEX:
1. when you wish that something had not happened or was not true
2. something that you wish had not happened or was not true
RELATED WORDS
to feel sorry for someone who is unhappy : ↑ SYMPATHIZE
to wish you had not done something : ↑ REGRET/NOT REGRET
see also
↑ SORRY/APOLOGIZE
↑ UNLUCKY
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1. when you wish that something had not happened or was not true
▷ unfortunately /ʌnˈfɔːʳtʃ ə nɪtli, ʌnˈfɔːʳtʃ ə nətli/ [adverb]
use this to show that you wish something had not happened, or you wish something was not true :
▪ There’s nothing I can do about it, unfortunately.
▪ Unfortunately, Dr Cole cannot spend as long with each patient as she would like.
▪ We took some fantastic photos, but unfortunately the film got damaged.
▷ sadly /ˈsædli/ [adverb]
unfortunately - use this to talk about events or situations that are very sad :
▪ Sadly, this fine old theatre was destroyed by fire in 1993.
▪ Alice was rushed to hospital, but sadly she died two hours later.
▷ it’s a pity/shame /ɪts ə ˈpɪti, ˈʃeɪm/ spoken
say this to show that you feel disappointed or sad about something that has happened :
▪ It’s a pity about the weather - it was so nice yesterday.
it’s a pity/shame (that)
▪ It’s a shame you can’t come with us.
what a pity/shame!
say this to show that you feel sad or sympathetic about something
▪ ‘Janet didn’t get that job.’ ‘Oh, what a pity!’
a real/terrible shame
▪ They’ve cut down all those beautiful trees. It’s a terrible shame.
▷ it’s sad /ɪts ˈsæd/ spoken
use this to show that you feel upset about something sad that has happened, and you wish the situation was different :
it’s sad (that)
▪ It’s so sad that your father can’t be here to see this.
it’s sad when
▪ It’s sad when a marriage breaks up, especially after all those years.
it’s very/terribly sad
▪ The town centre is dying, and most of the shops have closed down. It’s terribly sad.
▷ too bad /ˌtuː ˈbæd/ especially American
use this to say you are disappointed or sad that someone could not do something, or something could not happen :
▪ ‘Senator Volk’s out of town.’ ‘Too bad! I wanted to meet him and talk about the campaign.’
too bad (that)
▪ Too bad Dickie isn’t here to enjoy the fun.
▪ It’s too bad you have to leave, just when we need you most.
▷ it’s unfortunate /ɪts ʌnˈfɔːʳtʃ ə nə̇t/ spoken
say this when something causes disappointment, suffering or is inconvenient etc :
▪ The wedding was lovely. It was just unfortunate about the rain.
it’s unfortunate (that)
▪ It’s unfortunate that you have to travel so far to work.
▷ more’s the pity /ˌmɔːʳz ðə ˈpɪti/ British spoken
say this when you wish that the fact that you have just mentioned was not true :
▪ Now I’m too old to fall in love, more’s the pity.
▪ I’m afraid this car doesn’t belong to me, more’s the pity.
▷ regrettably /rɪˈgretəbli/ [adverb] formal
use this when you consider the existing situation to be unsatisfactory :
▪ Regrettably Jousse’s work has not been translated into English.
▪ The poor and disadvantaged will, regrettably, be the ones to suffer as a result of the new law.
2. something that you wish had not happened or was not true
▷ unfortunate /ʌnˈfɔːʳtʃ ə nɪt, ʌnˈfɔːʳtʃ ə nət/ [adjective]
▪ Parents are so busy with their careers that they don’t have time to have fun with their children, and that’s unfortunate.
unfortunate circumstances/event/situation etc
▪ ‘It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that no one could have predicted,’ a spokesperson said today.
▷ regrettable /rɪˈgretəb ə l/ [adjective] formal
something that is regrettable makes you feel sorry because it has unpleasant results :
▪ ‘This is an unfortunate and extremely regrettable incident,’ the minister told a newspaper.
▪ It was decided by the authorities that the building of the dam across the valley was a ‘regrettable necessity’.