remorse
ruh-MORSS
/rɪˈmɔːrs/
Deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.
Remorse is a 'gnawing' feeling. It is more intense than regret and specifically involves a sense of moral failure.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'remordere,' meaning 'to bite again.' It describes the way a guilty conscience 'bites' at your mind over and over.
Word relationships
- contrition: Contrition is the state of being remorseful, often with the intent to change.
- impenitence: A total lack of regret or shame for one's sins.
Commonly confused with
- regret: Regret is about the outcome; remorse is about the action.
Word family
- remorseful (adjective): Filled with remorse.
- remorseless (adjective): Without regret or pity; relentless.
Collocations
- feel remorse
- show remorse
- pangs of remorse
Idioms & expressions
- buyer's remorse
Example sentences
- "The defendant showed no remorse for his actions during the trial." A court description of a criminal.
- "Remorse is memory awake." A famous literary quote.
Memory hook
Remorse is like a 'Re-Mouse'—a mouse in your brain that keeps biting (mordere) your conscience. The bite of conscience.
When not to use
Don't use 'remorse' for trivial things like buying a shirt you don't like (that's 'buyer's remorse', which is an idiom, but standard 'remorse' is heavier).
Fun facts
- The word 'mordant' (biting or caustic) comes from the same Latin root.
Related words
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