Regret meaning in English
Learn how to use Regret correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
to regret: to feel sorry about, to lament, to feel remorse about
a regret: a sorrow, a sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
Examples
- "Luna actually started crying when she found out she wouldn't be able to celebrate Horatio's birthday with him. She expresses her most sincere regrets, and she promises to make it up to Horatio in the future."
- "You won't regret it!"
- "I'm probably going to regret saying this, but there's a secret I've been dying to share with someone."
- "However, I regret that I will not be attending this year's Nose Awards."
- "Announcement : Ladies and Gentlemen, we regret to inform you that there are severe delays on the Hammersmith and City line, Circle and District line and the Central line."
- "My only regret is that I didn't understand every word of this incredible film."
- "Therefore, it is with regret that I recommend she be dismissed as soon as possible PERIOD."
- "I regret to inform you that the standard of service provided by the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa Maria Jesus, is totally unsatisfactory."
- "I promise you won't regret your choice."
- "Announcement : Ladies and gentlemen, we regret to inform you that the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines are closed for service."
- "You won't regret this, Bruno!"
- "Definition: a written or spoken expression of one's regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another."
- "And to make sure that no one does anything that they'll regret later, do you understand me?"
- "Perhaps you'd like to return there if you regret coming to San Francisco."
- "We want them to believe that you truly regret missing their call, and that you will do your best to call them back as soon as you are able."
Exercise 1
Luna has written a letter to the cleaning company. Complete the letter below with the most appropriate words or phrases.
Dear Sir or Madam,
the standard of service the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally . Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation you that the contract between our two companies is terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
Dear Sir or Madam,
the standard of service the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally . Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation you that the contract between our two companies is terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
Luna has written a letter to the cleaning company. Complete the letter below with the most appropriate words or phrases.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I regret to inform you that 1 the standard of service provided by 2 the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally unsatisfactory 3. Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to hire 4 exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will no longer 5 be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the previous 6 cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation to inform 7 you that the contract between our two companies is hereby 8 terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
Dear Sir or Madam,
I regret to inform you that 1 the standard of service provided by 2 the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally unsatisfactory 3. Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to hire 4 exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will no longer 5 be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the previous 6 cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation to inform 7 you that the contract between our two companies is hereby 8 terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
1 I regret to inform you that: "I regret to inform you..." is a common, polite way to introduce bad news, and is the best choice here. An example: "We regret to inform our customers that we will no longer be selling apples".
1 I have the pleasure of informing you that: It does not make sense to introduce bad news with a positive statement such as this.
1 I would like to know if: Luna is not asking anything, so a question construction doesn't make sense.
2 provided by: "Provided by" is the best choice here. To "provide" a service is to supply it to someone. This sentence uses a passive construction. Example: "Sandwiches were provided by the organisers of the event".
2 monitored by: To "monitor (a situation)" is to "observe" or "survey" it. This does not make sense here.
2 esteemed by: To "esteem" someone is to "respect" them or "hold them in high regard". This does not make sense here.
3 unsatisfactory: "Unsatisfactory" is the best choice here. "Unsatisfactory" service is "inadequate" or "not good enough". Example: "Michael's behaviour at school is unsatisfactory".
3 radical: The term "radical" shares a similar meaning with "extreme". It can also mean "cool" or "excellent" when used by surfers. It is inappropriate here.
3 unsatisfying: Something which is "unsatisfying" leaves us "hungry" or "unfulfilled". It does not make sense here.
3 satisfactionless: This term does not exist.
4 hire: "Hire" is the best choice here. To "hire" someone is to "employ" them or "provide work" for them. Example: "Andrew has hired a cleaner to help him keep his house tidy".
4 fire: To "fire" someone is to "dismiss" or "sack" them. This does not make sense here.
4 release: To "release" something is to "set it free" or "liberate it". This does not make sense here.
5 no longer: The expression "no longer" shares a similar meaning with "no more" or "not any more", meaning that something has ended or stopped. Example: "I will no longer be eating cheese: I'm going vegan".
5 longer: The term "longer" means "more long", and it does not make sense here.
5 more: "More" means "additionally", and does not make sense here.
6 previous: "Previous" is the best answer here. The term "previous" shares a similar meaning with "former" or "past". In this context, Luna is referring to the cleaner who used to work at Delavigne in the past. Example: "Miriam's previous boyfriends were all slightly strange".
6 earliest: The term "earliest" means "first", chronologically. It does not make sense here.
6 following: The term "following" means "coming after or later". It is quite the opposite of the word Luna needs here.
6 ancient: The term "ancient" means "very old", and is not appropriate here.
7 to inform: "To inform" someone of something is to "tell them about it". The construction "it is my obligation to inform you that..." is a useful, formal phrase to introduce an official piece of news. Example: "It is my obligation to inform you that anything you say may be used in evidence in court".
7 to ask: "Ask" does not make sense here. Luna is making a statement; she is not asking a question.
7 to say: It does not make sense to use "to say" here. It is grammatically incorrect to "say someone something". Moreover, "to say" refers to spoken language, not letters.
7 to regret: To "regret (an event)" is to feel sorry or sad that it happened. This term does not make sense here.
8 hereby: "Hereby" is the best choice here. This little word means "by this document" or "as a result of this letter". Luna is saying that her letter serves as notice that the contract between Delavigne and the cleaning company has been ended. Another example: "I hereby resign from my job at this company".
8 by here: "By here" is a very colloquial expression meaning "around here". It does not make sense in the context of this sentence.
8 thereby: The term "thereby" refers to an action which is distant in time or space. It means "by that document" or "as a result of that letter". Since Luna is writing her own letter, we need the closer term: "hereby".
8 hypothetically: The term "hypothetically" means "in principle" or "in theory". It does not make sense in the context of this sentence.
Exercise 2
Luna has written a letter to the cleaning company. Complete the letter below with the most appropriate words or phrases.
Dear Sir or Madam,
the standard of service the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally . Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation you that the contract between our two companies is terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
Dear Sir or Madam,
the standard of service the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally . Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation you that the contract between our two companies is terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
Luna has written a letter to the cleaning company. Complete the letter below with the most appropriate words or phrases.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I regret to inform you that 1 the standard of service provided by 2 the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally unsatisfactory 3. Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to hire 4 exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will no longer 5 be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the previous 6 cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation to inform 7 you that the contract between our two companies is hereby 8 terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
Dear Sir or Madam,
I regret to inform you that 1 the standard of service provided by 2 the cleaner you sent us, Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús, is totally unsatisfactory 3. Here are but two reasons for our dissatisfaction.
-He doesn't clean. I'm not sure if this is because he doesn't know how, or he just doesn't want to.
-Since he started working here, our once-manageable rodent problem has become out of control, and we've been forced to hire 4 exterminators to resolve the problem.
Before you offer to replace Mr. Jorge Miguel Santa María Jesús with another one of your employees, I should let you know that the Delavigne Corporation will no longer 5 be using your company to meet our cleansing needs. I remind you that the previous 6 cleaner you sent us was caught stealing the office plants, the one before her was discovered hiding under the desk of our marketing director, trying to look up her skirt, and the gentleman before that had to be brought down from the roof by the police. Our CEO kindly decided not to press charges, but I fear that one more such incident would tip the balance.
It is therefore my obligation to inform 7 you that the contract between our two companies is hereby 8 terminated.
Thank you for your understanding,
Regards,
Luna DeLune
Human Resources Manager
1 I regret to inform you that: "I regret to inform you..." is a common, polite way to introduce bad news, and is the best choice here. An example: "We regret to inform our customers that we will no longer be selling apples".
1 I have the pleasure of informing you that: It does not make sense to introduce bad news with a positive statement such as this.
1 I would like to know if: Luna is not asking anything, so a question construction doesn't make sense.
2 provided by: "Provided by" is the best choice here. To "provide" a service is to supply it to someone. This sentence uses a passive construction. Example: "Sandwiches were provided by the organisers of the event".
2 monitored by: To "monitor (a situation)" is to "observe" or "survey" it. This does not make sense here.
2 esteemed by: To "esteem" someone is to "respect" them or "hold them in high regard". This does not make sense here.
3 unsatisfactory: "Unsatisfactory" is the best choice here. "Unsatisfactory" service is "inadequate" or "not good enough". Example: "Michael's behaviour at school is unsatisfactory".
3 radical: The term "radical" shares a similar meaning with "extreme". It can also mean "cool" or "excellent" when used by surfers. It is inappropriate here.
3 unsatisfying: Something which is "unsatisfying" leaves us "hungry" or "unfulfilled". It does not make sense here.
3 satisfactionless: This term does not exist.
4 hire: "Hire" is the best choice here. To "hire" someone is to "employ" them or "provide work" for them. Example: "Andrew has hired a cleaner to help him keep his house tidy".
4 fire: To "fire" someone is to "dismiss" or "sack" them. This does not make sense here.
4 release: To "release" something is to "set it free" or "liberate it". This does not make sense here.
5 no longer: The expression "no longer" shares a similar meaning with "no more" or "not any more", meaning that something has ended or stopped. Example: "I will no longer be eating cheese: I'm going vegan".
5 longer: The term "longer" means "more long", and it does not make sense here.
5 more: "More" means "additionally", and does not make sense here.
6 previous: "Previous" is the best answer here. The term "previous" shares a similar meaning with "former" or "past". In this context, Luna is referring to the cleaner who used to work at Delavigne in the past. Example: "Miriam's previous boyfriends were all slightly strange".
6 earliest: The term "earliest" means "first", chronologically. It does not make sense here.
6 following: The term "following" means "coming after or later". It is quite the opposite of the word Luna needs here.
6 ancient: The term "ancient" means "very old", and is not appropriate here.
7 to inform: "To inform" someone of something is to "tell them about it". The construction "it is my obligation to inform you that..." is a useful, formal phrase to introduce an official piece of news. Example: "It is my obligation to inform you that anything you say may be used in evidence in court".
7 to ask: "Ask" does not make sense here. Luna is making a statement; she is not asking a question.
7 to say: It does not make sense to use "to say" here. It is grammatically incorrect to "say someone something". Moreover, "to say" refers to spoken language, not letters.
7 to regret: To "regret (an event)" is to feel sorry or sad that it happened. This term does not make sense here.
8 hereby: "Hereby" is the best choice here. This little word means "by this document" or "as a result of this letter". Luna is saying that her letter serves as notice that the contract between Delavigne and the cleaning company has been ended. Another example: "I hereby resign from my job at this company".
8 by here: "By here" is a very colloquial expression meaning "around here". It does not make sense in the context of this sentence.
8 thereby: The term "thereby" refers to an action which is distant in time or space. It means "by that document" or "as a result of that letter". Since Luna is writing her own letter, we need the closer term: "hereby".
8 hypothetically: The term "hypothetically" means "in principle" or "in theory". It does not make sense in the context of this sentence.
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