remorse
Conscience biting back
Remorse is deep regret or guilt over a wrong you've committed.
It implies more than feeling bad—remorse suggests genuine moral anguish and a wish to undo the harm: He felt remorse for the way he'd treated her.
Someone who shows no remorse appears indifferent to the consequences of their actions, which courts and victims find particularly troubling.
Moral self-reproach
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
- self-blameAttributing fault to oneself
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
pangs · compunction · self-condemnation · torment · anguish · heartache · gnawing · haunted
Remorseful state over misdeeds
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penitenceRemorse for misdeeds
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
- apologeticExpressing regret for wrongdoing
contrite · penitent · sorrowful · heartfelt · soul-searching · self-examination · confession · acknowledgment
Compensation for wrongdoing
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
expiation · reconciliation · forgiveness · absolution · compensation · rectification · apology · reform
Sorrow over past actions
- ruefulnessSorrowful regret
- wistfulnessTender sadness for absence
- hindsightRecognition after the fact
- lamentMournful expression of grief
melancholy · bitterness · disappointment · grief · longing · mistake · reflection · retrospect
Painful awareness of failure
- disgraceLoss of honor
- humiliationLoss of dignity
- embarrassmentSelf-conscious unease
- dishonorLoss of respect
stigma · mortification · chagrin · self-loathing · degradation · ignominy · disrepute · infamy
Self-mortification for wrongdoing
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- prayerAddress to deity
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
sackcloth · self-denial · mortification · discipline · lent · flagellation · purification · rites
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
- self-blameAttributing fault to oneself
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
conscience · pangs · compunction · self-condemnation · torment · anguish · heartache · gnawing · haunted · burdened
contrition
Remorseful state over misdeeds
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penitenceRemorse for misdeeds
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
apologetic · contrite · penitent · sorrowful · heartfelt · soul-searching · self-examination · confession · acknowledgment · admission
atonement
Compensation for wrongdoing
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
restitution · expiation · reconciliation · forgiveness · absolution · compensation · rectification · apology · reform · restoration
regret
Sorrow over past actions
- ruefulnessSorrowful regret
- wistfulnessTender sadness for absence
- hindsightRecognition after the fact
lament · melancholy · bitterness · disappointment · grief · longing · mistake · reflection · retrospect · second-guessing
shame
Painful awareness of failure
- disgraceLoss of honor
- humiliationLoss of dignity
- embarrassmentSelf-conscious unease
dishonor · stigma · mortification · chagrin · self-loathing · degradation · ignominy · disrepute · infamy · scandal
penance
Self-mortification for wrongdoing
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- prayerAddress to deity
pilgrimage · sackcloth · self-denial · mortification · discipline · lent · flagellation · purification · rites · ritual
- taking responsibilityowning up, admitting fault, confessing, apologizing, accountability
- apology-relatedapology letters, mea culpa, retractions, confessions, contrition
- confessionconfession, absolution, admission, acknowledgment, declaration
- criminal psychologycriminal mind, motive, intent, premeditation, psychopath
- Penanceconfession booth, act of contrition, contrition, penitent, public penance
- Sentencing Factorsmitigating factors, aggravating factors, extenuating circumstances, criminal history, prior record
remorseremorselessness
State of feeling no regret
impenitence · unrepentance · shamelessness · callousness · hardheartedness
remorsesatisfaction
State of fulfilled desires
pride · self-satisfaction · joy · contentment · smugness
- buyer's remorseRegret after a purchase
- buyer remorseRegret after a purchase
remorseful, remorseless, remorselessly, remorsefulness, remorselessness, remorsefully