Regretful vs Regrettable: What's the Difference?
What's the Difference?
Regretful" describes a person who is remorseful or sad, while "regrettable" refers to a situation that is unfortunate or undesirable.
Memory Tip: regretful = full of feelings, regrettable = bad event
regretful stress on 'get', regrettable stress on 'gret'
regretful /rɪˈɡrɛtfəl/
adjectiveFeeling sorry or sad about something that has happened or that you have done.
Example:
Despite her regretful decision to resign from the project, she remained supportive of her colleagues, offering guidance whenever needed.
Common patterns:
regretful sigh
regretful tone
regretful look
regrettable /rɪˈɡrɛtəbl/
adjectiveCausing disappointment or sadness because it is unfortunate or undesirable.
Example:
The committee's decision to cut funding for the arts program was regrettable, as it undermined years of progress in promoting cultural awareness in the community.
Common patterns:
regrettable decision
regrettable mistake
regrettable incident
Common Mistakes
He felt regrettable about missing the meeting.
He felt regretful about missing the meeting.
The word 'regretful' is used because it describes a person's feelings.
It was a regretful mistake that cost the company a lot of money.
It was a regrettable mistake that cost the company a lot of money.
The word 'regrettable' is used because it describes an unfortunate situation.
Quick Practice
0/2 correct1. Despite her ____ decision to resign from the project, she remained supportive of her colleagues, offering guidance whenever needed.
2. The committee's decision to cut funding for the arts program was ____, as it undermined years of progress in promoting cultural awareness in the community.
Other Confusing Words
Never confuse regretful / regrettable again
Practice confusing word pairs with your daily goal in the Vocab5000 app and learn them for good with a scientifically proven repetition system. Start for free now.
