Regret is the unhappy feeling you get when you wish you had made a different choice. When you regret something, you look back and think, “I wish I hadn't done that” or “I should have done things differently.”

You might regret skipping soccer practice when you don't make the team, or regret not studying harder when you see your test grade. Sometimes regret comes quickly: you regret eating that third piece of cake almost immediately. Other times it arrives later: you might not regret missing a friend's birthday party until you see the photos and realize what you missed.

Regret can teach you important lessons. If you regret being mean to your brother, that feeling might help you treat him better next time. If you regret procrastinating on a project, you might start your next assignment earlier. The feeling is uncomfortable, but it's your mind's way of helping you learn from mistakes.

People express regret by saying things like “I regret that decision” or “I have no regrets about trying out for the play.” The word can also mean feeling sorry about something: “We regret to inform you that the field trip has been canceled.”