apologize
She apologized for being late to the meeting.
She expressed regret for arriving late to the meeting.
to express regret or remorse for a mistake or wrongdoing
He apologized to his boss for missing the deadline.
He expressed regret to his boss for not meeting the deadline.
The company apologized for the data breach.
The company expressed regret for the security incident.
Can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the situation.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal
Use 'apologize' in formal settings, while 'sorry' is more informal.
Gold Rule
Sincerity Matters
An apology should be sincere to be effective.
Word Origin
From Middle French 'apologiser', from Late Latin 'apologizare', from Greek 'apologizesthai' (to speak in defense), from 'apologia' (defense).
Usage Notes
Often followed by 'for' to specify the reason for the apology. Can be used in formal or informal settings.