remorse

/ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/

//ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"remorse" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“remorse” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,258 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,258
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

remorse vs remove
71% similar
remorse vs remote
71% similar
remorse vs repose
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for remorse
PropertyValue
Headwordremorse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/
Letters7
Frequency rank#15,258
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “remorse” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). remorse lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for remorse is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,258 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for remorse, with forms such as "ermorse", "remmorse", and "remores". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "remove", "remote", "repose", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested circa 14th century as Middle English remors, from Old French remors, from Medieval Latin remorsus, from Latin remordeō (“to torment, vex”, literally “to bite back”), from re- + mordeō (“to bite”). More at remord. The correct English form is remorse, spelled R-E-M-O-R-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
  2. 2
    Sorrow; pity; compassion.

Etymology

First attested circa 14th century as Middle English remors, from Old French remors, from Medieval Latin remorsus, from Latin remordeō (“to torment, vex”, literally “to bite back”), from re- + mordeō (“to bite”). More at remord.

Synonyms

agenbiteremorserueruthcompunctioncontritionguiltpenitencerepentanceself-reproachsorriness

Antonyms

apathyirrepentancenonrepentanceunremorsefulnessunrepentance

This word in other languages

remordimiento(Español)remords(Français)Reue(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ermorse,remmorse,remores,remorrse,remorsse,remosre,remrose,reomrse,rmeorse,rremorse

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of remorse - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ermorse2remmorse1remores2remorrse1remorsse1remosre2remrose2reomrse2
Edit distance from "remorse"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "remorse"?
"remorse" is spelled R-E-M-O-R-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/.
What does "remorse" mean?
As a noun, "remorse" means: A feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.
What words are commonly confused with "remorse"?
"remorse" is commonly confused with "remove", "remote", "repose". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "remorse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "remorse" is /ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "remorse"?
First attested circa 14th century as Middle English remors, from Old French remors, from Medieval Latin remorsus, from Latin remordeō (“to torment, vex”, literally “to bite back”), from re- + mordeō (“to bite”). More at remord. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “remorse”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-M-O-R-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “remove” - see the side-by-side comparison. remorse vs remove
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list