I’m sorry Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Sincere Regret Use 'I'm sorry' to show you truly regret your actions and understand their impact. I'm sorry I lost your book; it was careless of me. Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity In some cultures, overusing 'I'm sorry' can seem insincere. I realized that saying 'I'm sorry' for small mistakes seemed excessive. Pro Tip 3/3Non-verbal Cues Body language should match your words to show that you mean 'I'm sorry'. I'm sorry, she said, with tears in her eyes.