How to Pronounce Sorry

To pronounce "sorry", say SORRY — one syllable, IPA /ˈsɔɹi/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

sorry

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying sorry, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

Syllable

Letters

/ˈsɔɹi/

IPA

"sorry" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with chary and frory, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: saari, sari — easy to mix up when writing.

noun

adjective

(of a person) Regretful for an action; grieved or saddened, especially by the loss of something or someone.
“I am sorry I stepped on your toes. It was an accident.”
Poor, pitifully sad or regrettable.
“The storm left his garden in a sorry state.”

interjection

Expresses regret, remorse, or sorrow.
“Sorry! I didn't see that you were on the phone.”
Used as a request for someone to repeat something not heard or understood clearly.
“Sorry? What was that? The phone cut out.”

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

How many syllables are in "sorry"?▾

"Sorry" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "sorry"?▾

The IPA transcription of "sorry" is /ˈsɔɹi/.

What does "sorry" mean?▾

Sorry: The act of saying sorry; an apology.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?