apologetic

adjective

ə-ˌpä-lə-ˈje-tik How to pronounce apologetic (audio)
Definition of apologeticnext
as in sorry
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done was profusely apologetic after accidentally breaking a treasured plate

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 apologetic Instead of trying to hide the battery pack behind oversized body panels, the Streetdog integrates it into the overall silhouette in a way that feels deliberate rather than apologetic. — Utkarsh Sood june 27, New Atlas, 27 June 2026 Palmer was immediately apologetic, though her family was already laughing. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026 Be apologetic for the inconvenience. — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2026 Her colleague, a blonde woman, seemed more apologetic. — Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for apologetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apologetic
  1. sorry
  2. ashamed
  3. remorseful
  4. regretful
  5. contrite
  6. repentant
Adjective
  • López, who has undergone Tommy John surgery twice, wanted to find a way to keep busy instead of feeling sorry for himself.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Luwi felt sorry that Ivan hadn’t learned to speak English better.
    — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of sorry
Adjective
  • Matt Damon isn’t ashamed to be a bit of a Disney adult—and neither are his daughters.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Reiley now sees how ashamed her daughter had been of her mental health.
    — Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of ashamed
Adjective
  • Several artists said Ludlow, though remorseful about the festival’s outcome, failed to communicate updates about the cancellation beyond last-minute form letters.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • To Tommy, Anna and Molly are twittering encumbrances, idiotic in their insistence on good works and the good of man, their endless remorseful hedgings about the Communist Party.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of remorseful
Adjective
  • Responses varied by age and gender, with the most regretful group being Gen Z women.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Regina genuinely likes Louis, is regretful about getting loud with him, and after learning about Claudia feels sorry for him.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of regretful
Adjective
  • On Sunday a contrite Brewster apologized.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026
  • McGuire indicated that Sorsby is contrite about it all and said that the quarterback could speak publicly soon.
    — Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Definition of contrite
Adjective
  • Johnson wrote in a letter in the filing to the Illinois review board that Hoover is repentant and has the potential and the desire to live the rest of his life as a force for good in his community.
    — Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Perry had been reluctant to engage with recovery groups in the past, which are often structured around repentant confessions.
    — Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of repentant

Browse Nearby Words

Apollonian
apologetic
apologia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Apologetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apologetic. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cogent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All