Apologetic describesgives a detailed account of the qualities or features of someone or something that expresses regret or an apologya statement saying you are sorry for a mistake or harm. It is often used for a tone, note, or manner that sounds sorry or regretfulfeeling sorry about something that happened or was done.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /əˌpɑlədʒˈɛtɪk/
Easy pronunciation: uh-pah-luh-JET-ik (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress falls on the fourth syllable, JET.
Adjective meaning expressing apology or regret.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Apologetic Meaning
showing that you are sorry
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: expressing apology or regret
Example: She sent an apologetic email after missing the meeting.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- excusatory — Can overlap in formal or legal contexts, but it is less common and narrower than apologetic.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Apologetic Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- excusatory
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse apologetic with unapologetic, which means not sorry and not expressing regret.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does apologetic mean?
Apologetic means showing that someone is sorry or expressing regret, often in a tone, note, or manner.
What is a simple synonym for apologetic?
A simple near-synonym is excusatory, though it is more formal and less common.
Is apologetic the same as sorry?
They are close in meaning, but apologetic is usually used to describe the way someone speaks, writes, or behaves when expressing regret.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.