Contrite in a Sentence: Meaning, Uses & Examples

Contrite describes a person who feels and shows deep regret for something wrong they have done. To use contrite in a sentence, attach it to the person or their manner: “He wrote a contrite letter of apology.” The adjective belongs to formal writing and rarely appears in casual speech.

Contrite at a glance

• Contrite is an adjective meaning feeling or showing sincere regret for a wrong.
• It sits before a noun or after a linking verb: a contrite apology, or she sounded contrite.
• Its prepositions are about and for: contrite about the delay, contrite for the mistake.
• Contrite carries a moral tone and suggests a wish to make amends, not mere disappointment.
• The commonest error is mixing it up with contrive, which means to plan or invent.

What does contrite mean?

Contrite is an adjective meaning feeling or expressing sincere regret for a wrong one has done. The Cambridge entry for contrite records that sorrowful sense, and the word carries a moral charge: it points to a wrong, not simply a loss. It is close to penitent and ashamed, but contrite always includes the wish to make things right.

One limitation is worth stating plainly. Contrite is too strong for ordinary disappointment. A person who loses a match is disappointed, not contrite, because contrite implies a fault. Where no wrong was done, sorry, regretful or disappointed is the honest choice.

How do you use contrite in a sentence?

Contrite follows the ordinary adjective rules: before a noun, or after a linking verb such as be, feel, look or sound. Its prepositions are about and for, and both point at the fault. The five patterns below cover most sentences, and regretful is the milder word to use when no wrongdoing is involved.

Contrite in a sentence: examples across contexts

Contrite is at home in formal and reflective writing. The eight sentences below move from a classroom to a tribunal, and each one keeps the same core: a person, a fault and a visible sign of regret.

Two of these sentences mention a remedy, and that is no accident: contrite sits close to the wish to make amends. A sorry that offers nothing can still be contrite, but the word leans toward repair.

Contrite vs remorseful

Contrite and remorseful overlap, and the difference is direction. Remorseful describes deep private regret, which can stay entirely inside a person. Contrite is more outward and social: it implies that the sorrow is shown, often in an apology, and that amends may follow. A remorseful person feels the wrong; a contrite one also faces it.

Verdict: choose remorseful for private, heavy guilt and contrite when the regret is shown and a repair is likely to follow.

Word forms and grammar of contrite

Contrite adds an adverb and a noun, and the noun contrive is a different word entirely, so the table keeps the real family apart from the near neighbour in spelling. The noun learners need is contrition.

Common mistakes with contrite

• Incorrect: He was contrite of his mistake. Correct: He was contrite about his mistake. Rule: Contrite takes about or for, never of.
• Incorrect: Her contrite was clear. Correct: Her contrition was clear. Rule: Contrite is an adjective; the noun is contrition.
• Incorrect: He apologised contrite. Correct: He apologised contritely. Rule: Modify the verb with the adverb contritely.
• Incorrect: They were contrite to lose the final. Correct: They were disappointed to lose the final. Rule: Contrite is about moral regret, not mere disappointment.
• Incorrect: The contrite plan failed. Correct: The contrived plan failed. Rule: Contrite means sorry; contrive means to plan or invent.

Practice using contrite

Work through the six items, then check the reasoning rather than only the answer.

1. Fill the gap: She felt ______ about forgetting the appointment.
2. Choose the better word: After the own goal, the striker looked (contrite / disappointed).
3. Correct the error: He spoke contrite to the head teacher.
4. Build a sentence: use contrite for about a broken promise.
5. Spot the register: which belongs in a formal apology — we are contrite for the error, or we feel really bad about it?
6. Rewrite with the noun: The manager was contrite. Use contrition instead.

Answers

1. contrite — the adjective takes about before the wrong, and here about follows.
2. disappointed — an own goal is a mistake in play, not a moral wrong.
3. He spoke contritely to the head teacher — the verb needs the adverb.
4. Model answer: She was contrite for breaking her promise.
5. We are contrite for the error — a formal apology keeps the charged adjective.
6. Model answer: The manager showed genuine contrition — the noun follows the verb show.

The bottom line

Use contrite in a sentence when a person feels and shows sincere regret for a wrong, and keep on about or for to name the fault. The two nuances that decide most sentences are these: contrite implies a moral wrong and a wish to make amends, while remorseful can stay entirely private. When no fault is involved, apologetic or disappointed is the honest word.

Frequently asked questions about contrite

Is contrite a formal word?

Contrite belongs to formal and reflective writing, where it appears in apologies, reports and literature. In casual speech most people say really sorry instead. A company statement may describe a contrite response, while a friend is far more likely to say I am so sorry about that.

Does contrite mean the same as guilty?

No. Guilty describes the fact of having done something wrong or the feeling of blame, while contrite describes the sorrow shown afterwards. A guilty person may feel no regret, and a contrite one may be innocent of the charge. Contrite points at the expressed remorse, not at the verdict.

Can a written apology be described as contrite?

Yes, and the pairing is common. A contrite apology shows regret in its wording and usually offers to make things right. The adjective describes the tone of the message, so a terse note can be contrite while a long one may sound merely defensive.

Does a person have to apologise to be contrite?

No. Contrite describes the inner regret as well as its expression, so someone can be contrite without yet saying sorry. In practice the word usually appears once the regret is visible, because contrite leans toward shown sorrow and a wish to make amends.

Contrite in a Sentence

Contrite describes someone who feels or shows remorse after doing something wrong. It is a serious word, often used when a person acknowledges a mistake or harm.

• “She felt contrite after interrupting her colleague and apologized.”
• “He offered a contrite apology for missing the agreed deadline.”
• “The student looked contrite when she admitted that she had copied the answer.”

The word can describe a person’s feelings, an expression, or an apology. Calling an apology contrite describes its regretful tone; it does not by itself show whether the apology was accepted or whether the person later changed their behavior.

Regretful can describe regret more broadly, while contrite usually points to remorse about wrongdoing. Check the context and the intended tone when choosing between them.

Use contrite before a noun or after a linking verb

Contrite is an adjective. It can describe a person directly, as in “The contrite student admitted the mistake,” or describe the person’s state after a linking verb: “The student seemed contrite.” It can also modify words such as apology, expression, tone, or letter. Those combinations describe how regret is expressed rather than treating remorse as something you can measure from a single detail.

Pattern	Example	What it describes
contrite + noun	He wrote a contrite letter.	The regretful character of the letter
feel contrite	She felt contrite after blaming her teammate.	Her reported feeling
seem contrite	The speaker seemed contrite while acknowledging the error.	An impression based on the scene
contrite about	He was contrite about the unkind remark.	The subject of the remorse

Contrite and related words

Regretful is broader than contrite. A person can feel regretful about missing a pleasant event without believing they did anything wrong. Contrite usually concerns wrongdoing and the guilt or remorse that follows it. “She was regretful about leaving the festival early” and “She was contrite about misleading her friend” describe different kinds of reaction.

Apologetic emphasizes expressing regret or an apology. Someone may sound apologetic about an inconvenience they did not cause. Remorseful is close to contrite and suggests sorrow about a wrong action. Sorry is more common in everyday conversation and can cover several meanings, including sympathy, regret, or an apology. Contrite gives a sentence a more formal and serious tone.

Give the feeling a clear context

A useful example identifies the mistake and the response. “He was contrite” leaves the cause unstated. “He was contrite after sharing the private message and apologized to his friend” supplies the situation. The sentence does not need an exaggerated description of suffering; a specific acknowledgment makes the meaning clear.

If you are describing another person’s expression, use language that fits what you know. “She looked contrite” reports an impression. “She said she felt contrite” reports her words. “She was contrite” states the feeling directly. In fiction, a narrator may know a character’s feelings; in a factual account, attribution and observable actions help keep the description accurate.

More original examples

• The contrite volunteer acknowledged that he had overlooked the instructions.
• Her contrite message explained why the remark had hurt her colleague.
• After accusing the wrong person, the manager sounded contrite.
• The student was contrite about copying the paragraph and rewrote the assignment.
• His apology sounded contrite, but the conversation did not end there.
• She felt contrite when she realized that her joke had embarrassed her friend.

Related word forms

Contrition is the noun for the feeling or expression of remorse. “He showed contrition” names that remorse, while “he was contrite” describes him. Contritely is the adverb: “She apologized contritely.” Use the adjective before a noun or after a linking verb, and the adverb when describing how an action was performed.

Frequently asked questions

Does contrite mean embarrassed?

No. Embarrassment may concern awkwardness or being noticed. Contrite specifically suggests remorse about something wrong the person has done.

Does a contrite apology guarantee forgiveness?

No. The adjective describes remorse or its expression. Acceptance, forgiveness, and later conduct are separate parts of the situation.

Is contrite common in casual conversation?

It is more formal than sorry. It works well in careful descriptions of remorse, but a simpler word may suit an everyday exchange.

See Cambridge Dictionary’s entries for contrite and contrition.

Have you ever heard of the word “contrite” and wondered what it meant? In essence, being contrite involves expressing sincere remorse or regret for one’s actions or words.

Commonly used in situations where someone feels guilty and wishes to show true penitence, a contrite individual will often seek to make amends for their mistakes. This emotion is closely tied to feelings of guilt and a genuine desire to rectify any harm caused.

7 Examples Of Contrite Used In a Sentence For Kids

1. When she made a mistake, she felt contrite and said sorry.
2. The boy looked contrite after he accidentally broke the toy.
3. It is important to feel contrite when we hurt someone’s feelings.
4. The girl’s face showed that she was contrite for her actions.
5. We should always be contrite when we do something wrong.
6. Being contrite means feeling sorry for what we have done.
7. The teacher appreciated the student’s contrite apology for not completing the homework.

14 Sentences with Contrite Examples

1. Contrite over missing the deadline, I apologized to my professor and promised to submit the assignment promptly.
2. After being caught cheating on the exam, the student appeared contrite and begged for a second chance.
3. Despite feeling contrite about skipping class, she made sure to catch up on the missed notes and readings.
4. The group of friends was visibly contrite after their prank went wrong and caused damage to the college property.
5. He felt contrite for not studying for the important test, but he vowed to work harder to make up for it.
6. The student’s expression turned contrite when the professor pointed out the plagiarism in their research paper.
7. Contrite about failing the class, she sought guidance from her professor on how to improve her performance.
8. Even though he was feeling contrite about the argument, he made the effort to apologize and reconcile with his friend.
9. The fellow classmates were surprised to see the usually confident student looking contrite after receiving a poor grade on the project.
10. Despite feeling contrite for missing the group study session, she made arrangements to meet with her peers and review the material.
11. The college student’s parents were unimpressed by his contrite attitude after failing to maintain good grades throughout the semester.
12. She felt contrite for not attending the club meeting, so she volunteered to take on extra tasks to make up for her absence.
13. The student’s contrite demeanor during the disciplinary hearing convinced the committee to give him a second chance.
14. After realizing his mistake, he was quick to express his contrite feelings to his professor and ask for guidance on how to improve his academic performance.

How To Use Contrite in Sentences?

Contrite means feeling or expressing remorse or guilt for a wrongdoing. Here’s how you can use it in a sentence:

• When you have hurt someone’s feelings, it is important to contrite and apologize sincerely.
• She felt contrite for forgetting her friend’s birthday and made sure to make it up to her with a special gift.
• The contrite student admitted to cheating on the exam and promised to never do it again.
• He looked contrite as he realized the impact of his actions on his coworkers.
• Despite his contrite apologies, she found it hard to forgive him for his betrayal.

Remember, using the word contrite is all about showing genuine regret and remorse for something you have done wrong. It is important to be sincere in your apology and take responsibility for your actions when using this word. By incorporating contrite into your vocabulary, you can effectively communicate your feelings of guilt and show others that you are truly sorry for your mistakes.

Conclusion

In summary, sentences with the word “contrite” often convey feelings of regret, remorse, and repentance. The use of “contrite” in sentences indicates a sincere acknowledgement of wrongdoing or fault, along with a genuine desire to make amends. These sentences effectively express a sense of humility and sorrow for any harm caused, demonstrating an individual’s readiness to take responsibility and seek forgiveness.

By incorporating “contrite” into sentences, speakers can effectively communicate their remorseful feelings and express a willingness to address any mistakes or hurtful actions. Overall, the word “contrite” adds a depth of emotion and authenticity to sentences, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging faults and seeking reconciliation.