contriteness
Sincere sorrow felt
Contriteness is the state of feeling deep regret or remorse for wrongdoing.
The word emphasizes genuine sorrow rather than mere acknowledgment of error: His contriteness seemed sincere, but she wasn't ready to forgive.
It carries a slightly formal or literary tone compared to simpler alternatives like guilt or remorse.
Sorrow over past actions
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
compunction · anguish · heartache · grief · pangs · ruefulness · chagrin · self-condemnation
Remorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
redemption · humility · supplication · sackcloth · prayer · devotion · lamentation · self-abasement
Expressing regret or apology
- apologizeAcknowledge a fault
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- forgivenessReleasing resentment toward offenders
- acknowledgmentConfirmation of receipt
admission · mea culpa · retraction · rectify · redress · reparation · concession · restitution
State of being answerable
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- faultImperfection or blame
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
transgression · confession · owning up · admission of guilt · answerability · liability · taking responsibility · moral burden
regret
Sorrow over past actions
self-reproach · compunction · anguish · heartache · grief · pangs · ruefulness · chagrin · self-condemnation · pangs of conscience
repentance
Remorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
absolution · redemption · humility · supplication · sackcloth · prayer · devotion · lamentation · self-abasement · mortification
sorry
Expressing regret or apology
- apologizeAcknowledge a fault
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- forgivenessReleasing resentment toward offenders
acknowledgment · admission · mea culpa · retraction · rectify · redress · reparation · concession · restitution · reconciliation
responsibility
State of being answerable
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- faultImperfection or blame
wrongdoing · transgression · confession · owning up · admission of guilt · answerability · liability · taking responsibility · moral burden · self-examination
contritenessimpenitence
Lack of contrition
unrepentance · remorselessness · defiance · shamelessness · satisfaction
contritenesshardheartedness
Absence of pity
callousness · hard-heartedness · obduracy · cold-heartedness · insensibility
contrite, penitent, penitence, contrition, contritely, contritions, uncontrite