adv
regretfully
adv
1
In a way that shows regret.
"She regretfully declined the invitation."
2
Unfortunately — used to introduce a whole sentence.
"Regretfully, the event has been cancelled due to low ticket sales."
How to Use Regretfully
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWith a feeling of regret, or (as a sentence-starter) "unfortunately."
Common mistake
Careful writers keep "regretfully" (how someone feels) separate from "regrettably" (a fact that is unfortunate) — "He regretfully missed the flight" vs "Regrettably, the flight was cancelled."
Easily confused with
Word Forms
more regretfully comparative, most regretfully superlative
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Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ declined the invitation.