SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
contrite
adjective
Feeling or showing sincere remorse.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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A useful distinction
Alternatives apply to the displayed meaning. Related wording may differ in tone or grammar and is not always interchangeable.
Feeling or showing sincere remorse
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
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RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The contrite family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
contritionnoun
Sincere remorse for wrongdoing.
Sincere remorse for wrongdoing
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
Her expression of contrition was followed by an attempt to repair the damage.
The apology showed contrition rather than self-pity.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See contrite in use
The contrite student admitted altering the figures.
His contrite letter offered a direct apology.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license