as in unfortunate
of a kind to cause great distress
the explorers forged ahead despite the regrettable loss of some of their companions
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Recent Examples of regrettable
The early days of the 2026 MLB season have produced memorable debuts, unforgettable images and regrettable decisions.
—
Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Japan called the step unacceptable and regrettable and demanded that China retract it immediately.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Mar. 2026
Afterward, a student in the audience complained to his parents that, at the event, the deaths of Palestinian civilians had been characterized as collateral damage—a regrettable but unavoidable consequence of the battle against Hamas.
—Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
As history has proved, titans of industry often share a regrettable tendency to make a lot of money from leveraging enthusiasm and then leaving others to clean up the mess when the markets implode.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regrettable
Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Japan called the step unacceptable and regrettable and demanded that China retract it immediately.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Mar. 2026
Afterward, a student in the audience complained to his parents that, at the event, the deaths of Palestinian civilians had been characterized as collateral damage—a regrettable but unavoidable consequence of the battle against Hamas.
—Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
As history has proved, titans of industry often share a regrettable tendency to make a lot of money from leveraging enthusiasm and then leaving others to clean up the mess when the markets implode.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regrettable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regrettable
Adjective
-
Even before the president set off this unfortunate round of gerrymandering, Democratic states such as New York and Illinois were already heavily gerrymandered.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Then something tragic takes place.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
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In 1999, 81 years after the tragic sinking, the crew members of the Tampa were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regrettable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regrettable. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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