remorse
gb/ɹɪmˈɔɹs/ us/ɹɪmˈɔɹs/
B2
English
~ 5600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
deep guilt and painful regret
A very strong bad feeling because you know you did something wrong or hurt someone.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels remorse for/about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "remorse" with "regret" or "sorry". "Remorse" is usually stronger and linked to moral or serious wrong actions, while "regret" can be used for small things (e.g., "I regret not buying that jacket"). Learners also sometimes use the wrong preposition; the most common patterns are "feel remorse for/about/over [something]", not *"remorse on" or *"remorse of" in modern usage.
Synonyms
regret (A general feeling of wishing you had acted differently; can be weaker and less moral than remorse.)
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guilt (Focuses on the sense of having done wrong; remorse usually includes more emotional pain and sadness.)
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repentance (Stresses being sorry and wanting to change, often with a religious or moral tone; remorse is the painful feeling itself.)
Antonyms
indifference (Shows no emotional concern about having done wrong, the opposite of feeling strong regret.)
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shamelessness (A lack of shame or guilt about bad actions, contrasting with the painful self-blame in remorse.)
Collocations
feel remorse
|deep remorse
|show remorse
|express remorse
|full of remorse
|remorse for [one's actions]
Themes
emotions
|morality
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He felt deep remorse after realizing how much his words had hurt her.
- The judge noted that the defendant showed no remorse for the victims.
- Years later, she still carried a quiet remorse for the way she had treated her parents.
- Out of remorse, he wrote a long letter apologizing for his behavior.
- Her tears were not just from fear, but from genuine remorse for what she had done.
Learner examples
- He felt strong remorse after he lied to his friend.
- The man showed no remorse for his crime.
- She cried with remorse when she thought about her mistake.
- Out of remorse, he said sorry many times.
- I still feel remorse for the bad things I said.
Grammar
Dictionary form
remorse
IPA
GB/ɹɪmˈɔɹs/
US/ɹɪmˈɔɹs/
Syllables & stress
re - morse (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (morse)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: remorse
- Plural: remorse
Word family
Core family
remorseful
adjective C1
Related words
remorsefully
adverb C1
Negative and opposite forms
remorseless
adjective C1
remorselessly
adverb C1
Expressions
full of remorse
1/fˈʊl əv ɹɪmˈɔɹs/
fixed phrase
completely filled with remorse
Feeling a very strong and complete sense of guilt and regret about something you did.
Examples
- After the argument, he came back full of remorse and asked for forgiveness.
- She looked full of remorse as she apologized to her team.
without remorse
1/wɪðˈaʊt ɹɪmˈɔɹs/
fixed phrase
doing something with no guilt or regret
To do something, often bad or cruel, and not feel guilty or sorry about it.
Examples
- The villain killed without remorse, leaving a trail of fear behind him.
- She lied without remorse, as if other people's feelings did not matter.