profound remorse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "profound remorse" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a deep sense of regret or guilt about a past action or decision. Example: "After realizing the impact of his words, he felt a profound remorse that weighed heavily on his conscience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Last week on Israeli television, Mrs. Pollard said that she and her husband felt "profound remorse and sorrow for what has happened" and begged Mr. Obama for mercy.

The New York Times

Gordon Brown wrote a dying Mo Mowlam two "emotional" letters expressing his sadness over her terminal illness and his profound remorse over the disintegration of her cabinet career under Tony Blair.

Independent

Mr. Shargel has said that Mr. Dreier felt "profound remorse," accepted full responsibility for his crimes and had been cooperating in the attempt to untangle his scheme and track down assets that might be returned to victims.

The New York Times

Anyone expecting Maksim Gelman to have found verbal restraint or profound remorse in jail, or to have been humbled by the 200-year sentence he had already received for murdering four people in a 28-hour rampage last year, would have been soundly disappointed on Wednesday, after what was most likely Mr. Gelman's last court appearance for a very long time.

The New York Times

But primarily I would like to express my most profound remorse for mass e-mailing a video of myself to all the registered voters in East Chemply, in which I simulated various sex acts, in a public park, with a bronze statue of Josiah T. Chemply, who founded our fine community some two hundred and fifteen years ago.

The New Yorker

Ms. Kishline declined a request for an interview, but in a statement she made with her lawyer at the Kittitas County Courthouse, she expressed profound remorse and described herself as "a housewife and mother who woke up in a trauma unit of a hospital on March 25th to find out that I am the cause of the deaths of two innocent people".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

In recovery, his depressions were severe, his remorse profound, the work of repairing the relationships he'd damaged unrelenting.

The New Yorker

When they addressed the crimes, he continued, it was "usually with shame, remorse and profound guilt".

The New York Times - Books

He's still busy with all his various schemes and projects, but the difference is that the remorse, while profound, is no longer malignant.

The Guardian

It inspires profound shame, guilt, anger, recrimination and remorse, aimed in many directions for many reasons on both sides of a racial divide.

The New York Times - Arts

Having lived in Japan and visited the museums in both cities, I walked away with profound sadness, but no indication of remorse that millions of others were brutalized, raped and killed by Japanese forces.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "profound remorse" to convey a strong and sincere feeling of regret and guilt, often after a significant mistake or wrongdoing. Consider the impact of your actions and the depth of your regret when choosing this phrase.

Common error

Avoid using "profound remorse" lightly for minor inconveniences or trivial mistakes. The phrase implies a deep sense of guilt and responsibility, so reserve it for situations where the emotional weight is truly significant.

Linguistic Context

Profound remorse functions as a noun phrase where the adjective 'profound' intensifies the noun 'remorse'. It describes a deep and intense feeling of regret and guilt. Ludwig's examples show it commonly used to express feelings after wrongdoing.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "profound remorse" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express a deep and sincere feeling of regret and guilt. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate for conveying significant remorse, particularly in formal contexts such as news and media. While not as common as simpler expressions of regret, "profound remorse" is powerful when the emotional weight of the situation is significant, and its usage should be reserved for situations involving substantial harm or wrongdoing. Considering alternative phrases like "deep regret" or "genuine remorse" can add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

profound regret

Direct synonym, slightly less intense emphasizing the intellectual aspect of understanding one's error.

genuine remorse

Stresses the authenticity of the feeling of guilt, more emphatic than simple regret.

deep regret

Focuses on the sorrow felt, without explicitly highlighting the moral component of wrongdoing.

sincere regret

Highlights the genuineness of feeling sorry, suitable when emphasizing honesty.

acute regret

Suggests a sharp and immediate feeling of remorse, implying a sudden realization of wrongdoing.

intense sorrow

Emphasizes sadness and grief, potentially stemming from actions causing harm.

deep sorrow

Emphasizes the depth of sadness, focusing on the emotional impact of an action.

extreme contrition

Indicates a very strong sense of guilt and repentance, perhaps religiously inflected.

bitter regret

Adds a layer of resentment or disappointment to the feeling of remorse.

great sorrow

Emphasizes the sadness felt as a consequence of an action or event.

FAQs

How to use "profound remorse" in a sentence?

You can use "profound remorse" to describe someone's feelings after they've done something wrong. For example, "After realizing the damage he had caused, he felt a "profound remorse" that haunted him for years."

What can I say instead of "profound remorse"?

You can use alternatives like "deep regret", "intense sorrow", or "genuine remorse" depending on the context.

Is "profound remorse" the same as "deep regret"?

"Profound remorse" and "deep regret" are similar, but "profound remorse" emphasizes a moral component of guilt and responsibility, while "deep regret" focuses more on sorrow and disappointment.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "profound remorse"?

Use "profound remorse" when expressing a strong and sincere feeling of guilt and regret, particularly after a significant mistake or wrongdoing that has caused harm to others or oneself.