# apologetic

/əˌpɑɫəˈdʒɛtɪk/ (US) · /ɐpˌɒlədʒˈɛtɪk/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/apologetic
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

feeling or showing that you are sorry for something you did. You use this to describe a person's face or a person's way of speaking when they are in trouble.

For teachers: expressing or showing a feeling of regret or guilt. Often used to describe a person's facial expression or manner of speech when they are apologizing.

## Examples

- He gave me an apologetic smile after he broke my favorite pen.
- The manager made an apologetic remark about the long wait, though the customers were already leaving.
- Her apologetic tone suggested she felt responsible for the mistake, even though the error had been caused by a system failure beyond her control.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.