as in unfortunate
of a kind to cause great distress
the explorers forged ahead despite the regrettable loss of some of their companions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of regrettable
Both decisions were regrettable (more on that later), especially in hindsight, but there’s no doubt the field factored into the failures of both.
—
Mike Kaye
updated January 3, Charlotte Observer, 4 Jan. 2026
Alternatively, the heat is a means to an end, either stoking our immune system to work better, or simply a regrettable, but unavoidable byproduct of fighting off an infection.
—NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
The former Hardcore Champion then spoke about the regrettable truth of being young in the professional wrestling industry.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Others are opting to un-celebrate and, instead, to denigrate the anniversary, following the logic of Nikole Hannah-Jones’s original introduction to the 1619 Project, which cast the Revolution as regrettable.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regrettable
Mike Kaye
updated January 3, Charlotte Observer, 4 Jan. 2026
Alternatively, the heat is a means to an end, either stoking our immune system to work better, or simply a regrettable, but unavoidable byproduct of fighting off an infection.
—NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
The former Hardcore Champion then spoke about the regrettable truth of being young in the professional wrestling industry.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Others are opting to un-celebrate and, instead, to denigrate the anniversary, following the logic of Nikole Hannah-Jones’s original introduction to the 1619 Project, which cast the Revolution as regrettable.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regrettable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regrettable
Adjective
-
The two recent deaths in Minneapolis are an unfortunate result of less-then-peaceful protesting.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The 2025 August slide from the Padre with the biggest contract was especially unfortunate as the Padres (16-12 in August) were unable to fully capitalize on the Dodgers’ struggles (15-13 in August) to overtake them in the NL West.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The fire department believes the tragic crash was an accident, not an intentional criminal act.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
At first, that seems at odds with Aleys’s tragic fate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regrettable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regrettable. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
