What does regrettable mean?
Regrettable is an adjective meaning worthy of regret, usually describing an unfortunate decision, action, event, or outcome that is regarded as mistaken or badly judged. It is frequently used in formal and semi-formal contexts, such as official reports, news writing, and measured criticism. A phrase such as “a regrettable decision” suggests that the decision was clearly wrong or harmful, while “deeply regrettable” indicates strong regret. The word can describe an action, such as an error or omission, or a result, such as an outcome or loss. Compared with stronger terms like disastrous or appalling, regrettable is generally more restrained and diplomatic. It is also more concerned with the bad judgment involved than with the emotional reaction of the people affected. For that reason, it is often best understood as “deserving of regret” rather than simply “sad.”
adjectiveRegrettable means worthy of regret; unfortunate and deserving of disapproval or sorrow. It is commonly used to describe decisions, actions, events, or outcomes that someone considers badly judged or deeply unfortunate.
- Deserving of regret or disapproval; unfortunate and ill-judged.
"The decision to cancel the project was deeply regrettable."
"It was a regrettable omission to mention the risks involved."
"The museum described the damage to the historic building as a regrettable consequence of the storm."
Regrettable is the polished, formal way to say that a mistake was more than merely unfortunate—it was the kind of error you would not want to repeat.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does regrettable come from?
Regrettable was formed in English in the early 17th century by adding the suffix -able to regret. Regret itself entered Middle English from Old French regret, ultimately deriving from Latin regretum. The suffix -able indicates that something is capable of being or liable to be described in a particular way, so regrettable developed the sense “deserving of regret.”
Related word forms
How regrettable is actually used
Regrettable is formal and often more restrained than words such as appalling or disastrous. It commonly appears in official statements, journalism, academic writing, and serious personal criticism. In less formal contexts, regrettable can sound indirect or diplomatic, especially when describing a serious mistake.
Easily confused with regrettable
Regrettable describes something that is worthy of regret, whereas regretful usually describes a person who feels regret about something.