remorseful

Remorseful is an adjective used to describe someone who feels deep regret and moral distress for a past action, often accompanied by a wish to make amends.

In psychology, remorse is a complex emotional state that typically involves guilt, empathy for those harmed, and a realistic appraisal of one’s moral responsibility. Remorse can motivate apology, restitution, and changes in behavior.

Remorse is distinct from regret, which can concern outcomes regardless of moral implications, and from shame, which centers on the self rather than the specific action.

The word derives from Old French remors, from Latin remordere, meaning to bite back or to torment the mind.

In everyday life and in the courtroom, expressions of remorse—through apology, restitution, or corrective action—are often considered indicators of sincerity, although determining true remorse can be challenging.

Remorseful can describe individuals who show penitence, or situations in which remorse is invoked as a cultural or ethical expectation. See also remorse, guilt, repentance, and apology for related concepts.