apologetic

[uh-pol-uh-jet-ik] / əˌpɒl əˈdʒɛt ɪk /

ADJECTIVE

expressing remorse, regret

Synonyms

STRONGEST

conciliatory contrite regretful remorseful repentant sorry

WEAK

atoning attritional compunctious expiatory explanatory on one's knees penitent penitential propitiatory rueful self-effacing self-incriminating supplicating

Antonyms

STRONGEST

happy unrepentant

WEAK

defiant defying

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And when I spoke to Bisognano the day of the Virginia referendum, there was a lightly apologetic undertone to the conversation.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

The author seems almost apologetic for the decidedly dismal message she carries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

I emailed Wille and got an apologetic response a few days later.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

An apologetic Safdie demonstrated winding out wide and pounding down, the champ mastered the new skill by the sixth take, and the director lived to fight another day.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

To Mrs. Richardson’s ears, it sounded vaguely apologetic.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Vocabulary lists containing apologetic

Feeling Sorry?

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

myPerspectives 6.3

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ic

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!