regretfully
In a sorry manner
Regretfully means with regret or sorrow: She regretfully declined the invitation.
The word properly describes how someone does something—with a feeling of regret.
It is often confused with regrettably, which means "unfortunately" and comments on a situation rather than a person's state of mind.
Regretfully, I must resign technically means the speaker feels regret; Regrettably, the project failed means the failure is unfortunate.
Expressing regret or apology
- apologizeAcknowledge a fault
- apologeticallyIn a sorry manner
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
forgive · contrite · mea culpa · reconciliation · acknowledgment · retract · unfortunately · reluctantly
Moral self-reproach
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
- compunctionUneasiness from guilt
ruefulness · anguish · self-condemnation · heartache · bitterness · disappointment · ruefully · sorrowfully
Expressing bad luck
- reluctantlyWith obvious unwillingness
- sadlyIn a sorrowful manner
- declineDecrease or refuse
- refuseReject or garbage
unable · cannot · turn down · pass up · miss out · forgo · disappoint · bad news
Longing for the past
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- melancholySubdued, lasting sadness
- bittersweetWistful yet warm
pining · reminiscence · forlorn · wistful · sigh · pensively · longingly · yearningly
sorry
Expressing regret or apology
- apologizeAcknowledge a fault
- apologeticallyIn a sorry manner
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
pardon · forgive · contrite · mea culpa · reconciliation · acknowledgment · retract · unfortunately · reluctantly · ruefully
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
compunction · ruefulness · anguish · self-condemnation · heartache · bitterness · disappointment · ruefully · sorrowfully · mournfully
unfortunately
Expressing bad luck
- reluctantlyWith obvious unwillingness
- sadlyIn a sorrowful manner
- declineDecrease or refuse
refuse · unable · cannot · turn down · pass up · miss out · forgo · disappoint · bad news · alas
nostalgia
Longing for the past
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- melancholySubdued, lasting sadness
bittersweet · pining · reminiscence · forlorn · wistful · sigh · pensively · longingly · yearningly · plaintively
- diplomatic languagewith all due respect, no comment, at this time, in good faith, mutual understanding
- apologiessorry, forgive me, my mistake, mea culpa, sincere apology
- refusalsno, decline, no thanks, refuse, nope
regretfullygladly
With eager willingness
happily · joyfully · delightedly · cheerfully · gleefully
regretfullynonchalantly
With studied indifference
indifferently · unconcernedly · impenitently · unapologetically · breezily
regretfullyimpenitently
Without feeling sorry
unrepentantly · unapologetically · remorselessly · shamelessly · brazenly