How to pronounce regret
Say it like ruh-GRET. Regret has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GRET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce regret. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ruh
- GRET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Regret pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- GRETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of regret
American and British speakers say regret in essentially the same way: /rəˈɡrɛt/ in the US and /rɪˈɡrɛt/ in the UK.
British respelling: rih-GRET.
What does regret mean?
- feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
- feel sad about the loss or absence of
- decline formally or politely“I regret I can't come to the party”
- sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment“he drank to drown his sorrows”“he wrote a note expressing his regret”
Where does regret come from?
From Middle English regretten, regreten, from Old French regreter, regrater (“to lament”), from re- (intensive prefix) + *greter, *grater (“to weep”), from Frankish *grātan (“to weep, mourn, lament”), from Proto-Germanic *grētaną (“to weep”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with regret
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of regret.
Questions about saying regret
How do you pronounce regret?
Say ruh-GRET. The American pronunciation is /rəˈɡrɛt/. In British English it is /rɪˈɡrɛt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in regret?
Regret has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GRET). Broken into parts: ruh · GRET.
Do Americans and Brits say regret the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rəˈɡrɛt/ and the British form is /rɪˈɡrɛt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.