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REFERENCE

sorry

adj. · interj. · n.
US //ˈsɑɹi// UK //sˈɒɹi// sor·ry
  1. 1 apologetic (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    feeling regret or guilt because you did something wrong.

    feeling regret, compunction, or remorse for one's own actions.

    Example

    I am very sorry for breaking your favorite coffee mug.

    Example

    The manager was genuinely sorry for the administrative error and offered a full refund to the affected customers.
    Pitfall
    I am sorry of the mistake.
    I am sorry for the mistake.

    Use 'sorry for' or 'sorry about' when mentioning the reason for the apology.

  2. 2 sympathetic (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    feeling sad or bad for someone else because of their problems or bad news.

    feeling or expressing sympathy, pity, or regret for the misfortunes of others.

    Example

    I was so sorry to hear about your grandfather passing away.

    Example

    We were deeply sorry to learn of the project's cancellation after all the hard work you invested.
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  1. 3 poor or pathetic (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    in a very bad or weak condition that makes you feel pity or look down on it.

    wretched, poor, or pitiful in quality or state; often used to describe an inadequate attempt or condition.

    Example

    The old abandoned house was in a sorry state with broken windows.

    Example

    The team made a sorry attempt at a comeback, failing to score even a single point in the final half.
  2. 4 requesting repetition (interj.)
    A2 Elementary British English

    what you say when you want someone to repeat something you did not hear.

    used to request that a speaker repeat a statement that was not heard or understood.

    Example

    Sorry? Could you say that again? The music is too loud.

    Example

    Sorry? I missed the last part of the instructions because of the static on the line.

    Usage

    Usually spoken with a rising intonation like a question.

    Teacher's tip

    In American English, 'Pardon?' or 'Excuse me?' is more common for this purpose, though 'Sorry?' is understood.
  3. 5 an apology (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    the act of saying the word 'sorry'.

    the verbal expression of an apology.

    Example

    A simple sorry is all I need to hear from you.

    Example

    He thought a quick sorry would fix the problem, but the damage to their relationship was already ran too deep.
Origin

From Middle English sory, from Old English sāriġ (“feeling or expressing grief, sorry, grieved, sorrowful, sad, mournful, bitter”), from Proto-West Germanic sairag, from Proto-Germanic sairagaz (“sad”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂yro (“hard, rough, painful”). Cognate with Scots sairie (“sad, grieved”), Saterland Frisian seerich (“sore, inflamed”), West Frisian searich (“sad, sorry”), Low German serig (“sick, scabby”), German dialectal sehrig (“sore, sad, painful”), Swedish sårig. By surface analysis, sor(e) + -y. Unrelated to sorrow despite the similarity in form and meaning.

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