How to pronounce sorry
Say it like SOR-ee. Sorry has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sorry. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOR
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sorry pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of sorry
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SOR-ee.
What does sorry mean?
- feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone“felt regretful over his vanished youth”“regretful over mistakes she had made”
- bad; unfortunate“my finances were in a deplorable state”“a lamentable decision”
- without merit; of little or no value or use“a sorry horse”“a sorry excuse”
Where does sorry come from?
From Middle English sory, from Old English sāriġ (“feeling or expressing grief, sorry, grieved, sorrowful, sad, mournful, bitter”), from Proto-West Germanic *sairag, from Proto-Germanic *sairagaz (“sad”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂yro (
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with sorry
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sorry.
Words that sound like sorry
Questions about saying sorry
How do you pronounce sorry?
Say SOR-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɑri/. In British English it is /ˈsɒri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sorry?
Sorry has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOR). Broken into parts: SOR · ee.
Is sorry pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈsɒri/ (SOR-ee).
What words sound the same as sorry?
Sorry sounds the same as sari in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.