contrite
feeling deep remorse for having done wrong
Word origin: From Latin contritus, worn down or bruised.
Contrite in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing contrite in a sentence.
The contrite student apologized to the teacher he had insulted.
The executive issued a contrite statement acknowledging that the company had ignored repeated warnings.
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Verbal · Text Completion
The historian argued that the empire's collapse was not blank but the predictable outcome of decades of fiscal mismanagement that contemporaries had simply refused to acknowledge.
Using “contrite” well
Contrite signals genuine remorse rather than a perfunctory apology, distinguishing it from a merely strategic regret. It pairs naturally with penitent and repentant.
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Questions about “contrite”
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