Remorse Meaning
/ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
nounSorrow; pity; compassion.
Sentence Examples
He exhibited no remorse for his crime.
They show no remorse for their misdeeds, but continue to commit one crime after another.
Tom felt remorse for what he had done.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The criminal showed no ____ for his actions, even after being sentenced.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He felt deep ____ for the hurtful words he had spoken in anger and immediately apologized.
Word Origin & History
First attested circa 14th century as Middle English remors, from Old French remors, from Medieval Latin remorsus, from Latin remordeō (“to torment, vex”, literally “to bite back”), from re- + mordeō (“to bite”). More at remord.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In criminal proceedings, empirical studies have shown that remorse plays an important role in observers’ judgments of defendants."
— 2014 March 1, Rocksheng Zhong, Madelon Baranoski, Neal Feigenson, Larry Davidson, Alec Buchanan, Howard V. Zonana, “So You’re Sorry? The Role of Remorse in Criminal Law”, in Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online, Volume 42, Issue 1, pages 39–48:
"Failure, disgrace, poverty, sorrow, despair, suffering, tears even, the broken words that come from lips in pain, remorse that makes one walk on thorns, conscience that condemns . . . —all these were things of which I was afraid."
— 1897, Oscar Wilde, De Profundis:
"This is the bloodiest shame,
The wildest savagery, the vilest stroke,
That ever wall-eyed wrath or staring rage
Presented to the tears of soft remorse."
— c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
"And if we look abroad, to take a view of men as they are, we shall find that they remorse in one place, for doing or omitting that which others, in another place, think they merit by."
— 1689, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding:
"When they have accepted their advice and have some upleasant experience then they remorse."
— 2009, Pankaj Arora, Sex Education In Schools, page 142:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The criminal showed no ____ for his actions, even after being sentenced.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He felt deep ____ for the hurtful words he had spoken in anger and immediately apologized.