a sorry sight

Someone or something that has a piteous, woeful, or wretched appearance. Our son was a sorry sight after his six-month-long trip around Southeast Asia on his own. He said he had the time of his life, but to us he just looked skinny, dirty, and threadbare. The house was quite a sorry sight when we returned home. Trash and random junk were piled all over every room while scrawny, dirty cats prowled around, picking at various scraps of food. A: "Well, you're a sorry sight. What's wrong?" B: "Um, Shelly just broke up with me."

sorry about that

Glib or lighthearted recognition of some mistake one has made, regardless of how serious (or not) the mistake may be. Sometimes expressed more colloquially as "sorry 'bout that." A: "Oops, sorry about that. I didn't realize you were still using this computer." B: "Oh, don't worry about it. I'll just log in on a different one." A: "You ruined my entire batch of brownies!" B: "Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. I needed the oven, though, so I just took them out."

(I'm) sorry.

an expression used to excuse oneself politely or apologize, especially when one has collided with someone, when one has offended someone, or to ask someone to repeat what has been said. "I'm sorry," I said to the woman I bumped into. I'm sorry, what did you say? I couldn't hear you.

sorry

and pathetic

mod. pitiful; drawing ridicule or scorn; worthy more of condemnation than pity. (In colloquial use these words are usually used in sarcasm and disgust.) You are one sorry bastard! You are a pathetic person and a pathetic example of a quarterback!

See:

References in periodicals archive

And when once more I say, No, there's no reason to feel sorry for

I Feel Sorry for You Someone Said to Me Over and Over Again: A Story in the Form of a Dialogue, A Dialogue in the Shape of a Poem

Sanaullah maintained, 'I have retracted my statement, but I will not say sorry to anyone.'

Will not even say 's' of sorry: Rana Sanaullah

On Thursday morning she was sorry for targets and deportations.

Sorry, but Rudd just has to go.

The Canadian Olympic Committee is sorry about a heated "cafeteria discussion" between a member of its team and a Russian.

At these Olympics, 'sorry' seems to be the most common word

But that is the point, isn't it, saying sorry really does not cut the mustard.

Saying sorry won't sort out our refuse

Sorry? Those brave men are heroes with nothing to feel sorry about.

Disaster heroes; Letters.

I've talked on Tablet's Unorthodox podcast about what you need to do to apologize well: Explicitly say what you did wrong (don't just say "I'm sorry for what happened" or "I'm sorry if you were upset"); use the actual words "I'm sorry" rather than "I regret" (regret is about your emotions, not the other person's); show that you understand the consequences of your actions; tell how you will ensure that this doesn't happen again; and make reparations if possible.

An Apology Does Not Entitle You to Forgiveness

Sorry is a word that gets used too much, but never enough where required.

A Place Called Sorry

So if I have offended anyone, or because I have offended everyone, I'm sorry.

'Most of all, I'm sorry that I'm not really sorry'

If she ever suffered guilt, my mother, God bless her, never seemed to find the grace to say the magic words: "I am sorry."

It's a sorry business to hold on to blame

Addressing MPs, she said she was sorry for defending the banking industry while it crashed the economy, rigged the Libor rate and mis-sold PPI.

Former UK banking lobby chief apologises for rate rigging

"I'M so sorry!" I said to the man who hit me with his suitcase.

Sorry seems to be the easiest word

NEW YORK, United States -- Pop idol Justin Bieber is finding a new way to say "Sorry" -- in Spanish.

Justin Bieber says 'Sorry' again - in Spanish

There's probably some Gary Larson-esque pun in there about being a hunter never means having to say you're sorry or something, but again, why?

Why apologize?

Philadelphia, PA, February 06, 2015 --(PR.com)-- I'm Sorry to Hear announces their continued expansion across the USA adding 3 new states to their extensive online community and searchable database of funeral homes at www.imsorrytohear.com.

I'm Sorry to Hear Expands to 3 New States, Increases Coverage to Over 14,000 Funeral Homes