completely sorry

USAGE SUMMARY

"completely sorry" is not correct and is not usable in written English.
"Completely" is an adverb and "sorry" is an adjective, and they cannot go together. Correct Usage: "I am completely apologetic for my mistake."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Pending Vegan wasn't completely sorry.

The New Yorker

That's he's completely guilty and completely sorry?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I have to tell you this is a bad way to wake up: 3AM, self-blinded, a heart-attack shot of adrenalin, fan roaring like a jet engine, completely nude, sorry, surrounded by shattered glass.

Vice

P.M.S.: Sorry, sorry, sorry!

The New Yorker

Sorry sorry sorry.

The New Yorker

Sorry, sorry, sorry!

BBC

Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry.

HuffPost

"I would like all the victims of phone hacking to know how completely and deeply sorry I am.

BBC

Other updates of the past several months have included a completely new (and, sorry LinkedIn, much slower) desktop site; a new, curated newsfeed with trending business news stories; and expansions of some of its paid services such as its Sales Navigator for sales teams.

TechCrunch

Other updates of the past several months have included a completely new (and, sorry LinkedIn, much slower) desktop site; a new, curated newsfeed with trending business news stories; and expansions of some of its paid services such as its Sales Navigator for sales teams.

TechCrunch

and the completely re-freshed (sorry, I just had to) Fresh at 872 Broadway.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "completely" directly with "sorry". Instead, use alternatives such as "deeply sorry", "sincerely sorry", or rephrase your sentence to use "completely apologetic".

Common error

The word "completely" is an adverb that typically modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. The adjective "sorry" describes a state of feeling. A common error is to directly combine them. Instead, opt for a grammatically correct construction like "completely apologetic" or use an adverb that appropriately modifies "sorry" such as "deeply" or "sincerely".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely sorry" functions as an attempt to express regret or remorse in an intensified manner. However, according to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically incorrect due to the improper combination of an adverb and an adjective. It aims to convey a strong feeling of apology but falls short in proper grammatical structure.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "completely sorry" is an attempt to express deep regret, but it is considered grammatically incorrect as it combines the adverb "completely" directly with the adjective "sorry". Ludwig AI indicates that a more appropriate construction is "completely apologetic", or using adverbs like "deeply", "sincerely", or "truly" with "sorry". While the examples show its occurrence in some news and media contexts, it's advisable to use grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism. Better choices include ""deeply sorry"" or restructuring the sentence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deeply sorry

Emphasizes the intensity of the regret.

sincerely sorry

Highlights the genuineness of the apology.

truly sorry

Similar to "sincerely sorry", conveying authenticity.

extremely apologetic

Uses a different adjective to convey a strong feeling of regret.

completely apologetic

Uses a correct grammatical structure while keeping the meaning similar.

utterly remorseful

Emphasizes the feeling of deep regret and guilt.

profoundly regretful

Indicates a deep sense of sorrow and regret.

full of regret

Descriptive phrase indicating a state of being filled with regret.

remorseful beyond words

Highlights the extreme depth of regret, suggesting it's hard to express.

I deeply regret

Shifts the focus to a personal declaration of regret.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use an adverb to intensify "sorry"?

Use adverbs like "deeply", "sincerely", or "truly" before "sorry". For example, "I am "deeply sorry" for my actions."

Is "completely sorry" grammatically correct?

No, "completely" is an adverb and "sorry" is an adjective, so they don't combine well. A better choice is to say "completely apologetic".

What are some alternatives to "completely sorry"?

Alternatives include ""deeply sorry"", "sincerely sorry", or "truly sorry". Each of these provides a more grammatically sound way to express your regret.

How can I rephrase a sentence to correctly express deep regret?

Instead of saying "I'm completely sorry", you could say "I am completely apologetic for my mistake" or "I "deeply regret" my actions."