different between remorse vs remorseful

English

Alternative forms

• remorce (obsolete)

Etymology

First attested circa 14th century as Middle English remors, from Old French remors, from Medieval Latin remorsum, from Latin remorde? (“I torment, I vex”, literally “I bite back”), from re- +? morde? (“I bite”). More at remord.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: r?-môrs?, IPA^(key): /???m??(?)s/
• (US) enPR: r?-môrs?, IPA^(key): /???m??s/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s
• Hyphenation: re?morse

Noun

remorse (countable and uncountable, plural remorses)

1. A feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
   • 1897, Oscar Wilde, "De Profundis,"

     Failure, disgrace, poverty, sorrow, despair, suffering, tears even, the broken words that come from lips in pain, remorse that makes one walk on thorns, conscience that condemns . . . —all these were things of which I was afraid.

2. (obsolete) Sorrow; pity; compassion.
   • 1597, William Shakespeare, King John, act 4, scene 3,

     This is the bloodiest shame,

     The wildest savagery, the vilest stroke,

     That ever wall-eyed wrath or staring rage

     Presented to the tears of soft remorse.

Synonyms

• (regret or sadness for doing wrong): agenbite, compunction, contrition, penitence, repentance, rue, self-reproach
• See also Thesaurus:remorse

Hypernyms

• regret, sadness

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• apology

Anagrams

• Roemers, roemers

Latin

Participle

remorse

1. vocative masculine singular of remorsus

English

Etymology

From remorse +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???m??(?)sf?l/

Adjective

remorseful (comparative more remorseful, superlative most remorseful)

1. (of a person) Feeling or filled with remorse.

2. Expressing or caused by remorse.

Synonyms

• penitent
• apologetic
• regretful
• Thesaurus:remorseful

Antonyms

• remorseless
• unremorseful
• unrepentant

Related terms

• remorse
• remorsefully
• remorsefulness

Translations

References

• remorseful in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• “remorseful” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• "remorseful" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press 2007.
• Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.