Regret is a feeling many people in the USA experience when they wish they had done something differently. It can happen when we make a mistake or miss an opportunity. Talking about regret can be hard, but using special phrases called idioms can make it easier. Idioms are common expressions that help explain feelings in a simple way.
In this article, we will explore some common idioms about regret. These phrases show how people in America express their feelings when they look back and wish things had gone another way. Learning these idioms will help you understand and talk about regret in a clear and easy way.
Idioms About Regret
1. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
Example Sentence: Don’t cry over spilled milk — just clean it up and move on.
Other ways to say: Don’t dwell on the past, no use complaining
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that once milk is spilled, it’s wasted and crying won’t help.
Usage: Used to tell someone not to worry about mistakes that cannot be fixed.
2. Eat your heart out
Meaning: To feel deep sadness or jealousy because of regret.
Example Sentence: After missing the concert, he was eating his heart out all night.
Other ways to say: Feel heartbroken, be very upset
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase suggests that regret can feel like eating away your heart.
Usage: Used when someone is sad or jealous about missing out on something.
3. A day late and a dollar short
Meaning: Arriving too late or missing an opportunity, often with regret.
Example Sentence: She tried to join the team, but it was a day late and a dollar short.
Other ways to say: Too little, too late; missed the boat
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase started in the 1800s, showing how being late can cause regret.
Usage: Used to describe someone who missed the chance to act in time.
4. Miss the boat
Meaning: To miss an opportunity and regret it later.
Example Sentence: He missed the boat by not applying for the job on time.
Other ways to say: Miss the chance, lose out
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to missing a boat leaving the dock, meaning missing out on something important.
Usage: Used when someone regrets missing a good chance.
5. Kick yourself
Meaning: To be angry or disappointed with yourself for a mistake or missed chance.
Example Sentence: She kicked herself for forgetting her homework.
Other ways to say: Feel sorry for yourself, blame yourself
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of physically kicking yourself in frustration.
Usage: Used when someone regrets their own actions.
6. Water under the bridge
Meaning: Something in the past that you should stop worrying about.
Example Sentence: That argument is water under the bridge now.
Other ways to say: Let it go, move on
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase compares past troubles to water that has flowed past and can’t be changed.
Usage: Used when someone wants to forget past mistakes.
7. No use crying over spilled milk
Meaning: There’s no point in being upset about something that cannot be changed.
Example Sentence: The test is over, so no use crying over spilled milk.
Other ways to say: Don’t regret the past, it can’t be fixed
Fun Fact/Origin: A longer version of “cry over spilled milk.”
Usage: Used to encourage people to stop worrying about mistakes.
8. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret, causing regret.
Example Sentence: He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Other ways to say: Spill the beans, give away the secret
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from markets where farmers would sell a cat in a bag by mistake instead of a piglet.
Usage: Used when someone regrets revealing something that should have been kept secret.
9. Put your foot in your mouth
Meaning: To say something embarrassing or wrong and feel regret.
Example Sentence: I put my foot in my mouth when I forgot her birthday.
Other ways to say: Say the wrong thing, embarrass yourself
Fun Fact/Origin: The image of putting your foot in your mouth shows how awkward the mistake feels.
Usage: Used when someone says something they wish they hadn’t.
10. Hindsight is 20/20
Meaning: It’s easy to see the right choice after something has already happened.
Example Sentence: I should have studied more, but hindsight is 20/20.
Other ways to say: Looking back, it’s clear now
Fun Fact/Origin: 20/20 is a term for perfect eyesight, meaning seeing clearly after the fact.
Usage: Used when someone regrets a decision but understands it better now.
11. Let bygones be bygones
Meaning: To forget past problems or mistakes and stop feeling regret.
Example Sentence: They had a fight, but decided to let bygones be bygones.
Other ways to say: Forgive and forget, move on
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “bygones” means things from the past.
Usage: Used when people want to stop dwelling on past mistakes.
12. Wish you could turn back time
Meaning: To want to change something from the past because of regret.
Example Sentence: I wish I could turn back time and study harder for the test.
Other ways to say: Want to undo the past, want a second chance
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase is also a famous song title about regret.
Usage: Used when someone deeply regrets a past action.
13. Beat yourself up
Meaning: To blame yourself for a mistake and feel bad about it.
Example Sentence: Don’t beat yourself up over missing the game.
Other ways to say: Feel guilty, blame yourself
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase means to criticize yourself harshly.
Usage: Used when someone feels regret and is hard on themselves.
14. If only
Meaning: A way to express regret about something that didn’t happen.
Example Sentence: If only I had listened to my teacher, I wouldn’t have failed.
Other ways to say: I wish, I regret
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used to start a sentence showing regret.
Usage: Used to talk about wishing things had been different.
15. Missed the mark
Meaning: To fail to achieve something you wanted, often causing regret.
Example Sentence: His answer missed the mark on the test question.
Other ways to say: Failed, didn’t succeed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from archery where missing the mark means missing the target.
Usage: Used when someone regrets not hitting a goal.
16. Made a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning: To make a small problem seem much bigger than it really is.
Example Sentence: Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill about the broken pencil.
Other ways to say: Overreact, exaggerate
Fun Fact/Origin: A molehill is a small pile of dirt, a mountain is very big.
Usage: Used when someone regrets making a big deal out of something small.
17. Look back with regret
Meaning: To think about the past and feel sorry for choices made.
Example Sentence: She looked back with regret at not spending more time with her friends.
Other ways to say: Feel sorry about the past, reflect sadly
Fun Fact/Origin: Common phrase to describe regretful memories.
Usage: Used when someone wishes they had done something differently.
18. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today
Meaning: Warning against delaying things and regretting it later.
Example Sentence: I’m doing my homework now because I don’t want to put it off till tomorrow.
Other ways to say: Don’t delay, act now
Fun Fact/Origin: This is an old proverb encouraging prompt action.
Usage: Used to avoid regret from procrastination.
19. A bitter pill to swallow
Meaning: An unpleasant fact or experience that is hard to accept.
Example Sentence: Losing the game was a bitter pill to swallow for the team.
Other ways to say: Hard truth, tough reality
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from medicine, where some pills taste bitter but must be taken.
Usage: Used when regret comes from accepting something difficult.
20. Second guess yourself
Meaning: To doubt your own decisions after they’ve been made.
Example Sentence: After the test, he started to second guess himself about his answers.
Other ways to say: Doubt your choices, rethink decisions
Fun Fact/Origin: To guess again means to question something twice.
Usage: Used when someone regrets or doubts a decision they made.
21. Cross that bridge when you come to it
Meaning: To not worry about a problem until it actually happens.
Example Sentence: Don’t worry about the test now; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Other ways to say: Deal with it later, wait and see
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of crossing a physical bridge only when you reach it.
Usage: Used to avoid worrying too early and regretting it.
22. Bite the bullet
Meaning: To face a difficult situation bravely instead of avoiding it.
Example Sentence: She bit the bullet and apologized for her mistake.
Other ways to say: Face the music, accept the truth
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from soldiers biting bullets during surgery without painkillers.
Usage: Used when someone chooses to deal with regret or consequences.
23. A moment of weakness
Meaning: A short time when someone does something they regret.
Example Sentence: He called his ex by mistake—a moment of weakness.
Other ways to say: A slip-up, a brief mistake
Fun Fact/Origin: Means losing control briefly.
Usage: Used when regret comes from a small lapse in judgment.
24. Live to regret
Meaning: To feel sorry for something for a long time.
Example Sentence: She lived to regret quitting the team.
Other ways to say: Always sorry, never forget a mistake
Fun Fact/Origin: Common phrase to describe long-lasting regret.
Usage: Used when someone feels deep, lasting regret.
25. Too little, too late
Meaning: When an action or apology comes after it’s too late to fix the problem.
Example Sentence: His apology was too little, too late to save their friendship.
Other ways to say: Missed the chance, no longer helpful
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in relationships or missed opportunities.
Usage: Used when regret is about a delayed response.
26. Cry wolf
Meaning: To raise a false alarm, causing others to stop believing you when it really matters.
Example Sentence: He cried wolf so many times that no one believed him.
Other ways to say: False alarm, lie too often
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a fable about a boy who falsely warned of wolves.
Usage: Used when someone regrets raising alarms that weren’t real.
27. Pay the price
Meaning: To suffer the consequences of your actions.
Example Sentence: She didn’t study and paid the price with a bad grade.
Other ways to say: Face consequences, suffer results
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that every action has a cost.
Usage: Used when regret comes after dealing with consequences.
28. Cry in your beer
Meaning: To feel sorry for yourself because of regret.
Example Sentence: After losing the game, he cried in his beer.
Other ways to say: Feel sad, pout
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the image of someone drinking and feeling sorry.
Usage: Used when someone is sad and regretful.
29. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Meaning: Don’t be ungrateful for a gift or opportunity.
Example Sentence: The free ticket is great; don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Other ways to say: Appreciate what you get, don’t complain
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from checking a horse’s age by its teeth, which is rude if the horse is a gift.
Usage: Used to remind someone not to regret or complain about something given freely.
30. Hindsight is 20/20
Meaning: It’s easier to see the right choice after something has happened.
Example Sentence: I should have practiced more, but hindsight is 20/20.
Other ways to say: Looking back, things are clear
Fun Fact/Origin: 20/20 refers to perfect vision, meaning clear understanding after the fact.
Usage: Used when someone regrets past decisions but understands now.
31. Throw good money after bad
Meaning: To continue putting effort or money into something that won’t succeed.
Example Sentence: Don’t fix that old car anymore—you’re just throwing good money after bad.
Other ways to say: Waste resources, keep losing
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from wasting money trying to fix lost causes.
Usage: Used when someone regrets continuing a losing effort.
32. Cross your fingers
Meaning: To hope for a good result despite feeling unsure.
Example Sentence: I crossed my fingers that I would pass the test.
Other ways to say: Hope for the best, wish luck
Fun Fact/Origin: Crossing fingers is an old sign of wishing for luck.
Usage: Used when someone hopes to avoid regret.
33. A slap on the wrist
Meaning: A light punishment for a mistake.
Example Sentence: He got a slap on the wrist for breaking the window.
Other ways to say: Mild punishment, small consequence
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the image of a light hit as a warning.
Usage: Used when regret comes with only a small penalty.
34. Burn your bridges
Meaning: To do something that makes it impossible to return to a situation.
Example Sentence: Quitting without notice burned his bridges at the company.
Other ways to say: Destroy your chances, end relationships
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from burning a bridge behind you to prevent going back.
Usage: Used when someone regrets making a choice that closes doors.
35. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on too much and regret it later.
Example Sentence: He bit off more than he could chew by joining three clubs.
Other ways to say: Take on too much, overload yourself
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from trying to chew too big a bite of food.
Usage: Used when someone regrets overcommitting.
36. Face the music
Meaning: To accept the consequences of your actions.
Example Sentence: She had to face the music after missing practice.
Other ways to say: Take responsibility, accept punishment
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from actors facing the orchestra pit when on stage.
Usage: Used when someone deals with regret by accepting results.
37. In over your head
Meaning: To be involved in something too difficult to handle.
Example Sentence: He was in over his head with the tough math homework.
Other ways to say: Out of your depth, overwhelmed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from being in water too deep to stand in.
Usage: Used when someone regrets taking on something too hard.
38. Pay through the nose
Meaning: To pay too much for something and regret it.
Example Sentence: They paid through the nose for concert tickets.
Other ways to say: Pay a lot, overpay
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old taxes where people paid high prices.
Usage: Used when someone regrets spending too much money.
39. Sweep it under the rug
Meaning: To hide a problem instead of dealing with it.
Example Sentence: They swept the mistake under the rug instead of fixing it.
Other ways to say: Cover up, ignore
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hiding dust under a rug to avoid cleaning.
Usage: Used when someone regrets ignoring problems.
40. Water under the bridge
Meaning: Past problems that are no longer important.
Example Sentence: The fight is water under the bridge now.
Other ways to say: Forgotten issues, past troubles
Fun Fact/Origin: Water flows away and cannot be brought back.
Usage: Used when people move past regrets.
41. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: To start over after a failure or mistake.
Example Sentence: The plan failed, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Other ways to say: Try again, restart
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from architects redrawing plans after problems.
Usage: Used when someone regrets a failed attempt and must try anew.
42. Cross your heart and hope to die
Meaning: A promise that something is true, often to avoid regret later.
Example Sentence: I didn’t take your book, cross my heart and hope to die!
Other ways to say: Promise sincerely, swear truth
Fun Fact/Origin: Old oath to show honesty.
Usage: Used when trying to prevent regret by assuring truth.
43. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning: To try every possible way to solve a problem.
Example Sentence: She left no stone unturned in finding her lost dog.
Other ways to say: Try everything, search thoroughly
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from turning over stones to find hidden things.
Usage: Used when someone regrets not trying everything.
44. Make a clean break
Meaning: To end something completely to avoid future problems.
Example Sentence: He made a clean break from his old habits.
Other ways to say: Start fresh, cut ties
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from breaking away cleanly without leftover ties.
Usage: Used when someone wants to avoid regret by ending the past.
45. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To work late into the night, sometimes regretting lost sleep.
Example Sentence: She burned the midnight oil to finish her homework.
Other ways to say: Work late, stay up late
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from using oil lamps before electricity.
Usage: Used when someone regrets staying up too late but needed to work.
Quiz: Idioms About Regret
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question about idioms related to regret.
Question Key
1. What does “cry over spilled milk” mean?
A) Be upset about something that can’t be changed
B) Clean up a mess quickly
C) Be happy about a mistake
2. If someone “missed the boat,” what happened?
A) They missed an opportunity
B) They went on a trip
C) They caught a fish
3. What does it mean to “kick yourself”?
A) To exercise your legs
B) To be angry at yourself for a mistake
C) To run very fast
4. What does “let the cat out of the bag” mean?
A) To free a pet
B) To reveal a secret by accident
C) To pack your bags
5. When someone says “hindsight is 20/20,” they mean:
A) They can see better now after something happened
B) They have perfect eyesight
C) They need glasses
6. What does “bite the bullet” mean?
A) To get hurt physically
B) To face a hard situation bravely
C) To chew food quickly
7. If you “beat yourself up,” what are you doing?
A) Exercising
B) Blaming yourself for a mistake
C) Playing a game
8. What is meant by “too little, too late”?
A) Trying to fix something after it’s too late
B) Doing something quickly
C) Giving a big gift
9. What does “make a mountain out of a molehill” mean?
A) To build something
B) To make a small problem seem big
C) To dig a hole
10. What does “cry wolf” mean?
A) To tell the truth
B) To raise false alarms too many times
C) To howl like a wolf
11. What does “pay the price” mean?
A) To buy something expensive
B) To face the consequences of your actions
C) To get a discount
12. What does “throw good money after bad” mean?
A) To waste money by continuing a bad plan
B) To give money to charity
C) To save money
13. What does “burn your bridges” mean?
A) To make new friends
B) To destroy your chances of going back
C) To build a fire
14. What does “bite off more than you can chew” mean?
A) To eat too fast
B) To take on too much and regret it
C) To share food
15. What does “face the music” mean?
A) To enjoy a concert
B) To accept the results of your actions
C) To dance
Answer Key
- A) Be upset about something that can’t be changed
- A) They missed an opportunity
- B) To be angry at yourself for a mistake
- B) To reveal a secret by accident
- A) They can see better now after something happened
- B) To face a hard situation bravely
- B) Blaming yourself for a mistake
- A) Trying to fix something after it’s too late
- B) To make a small problem seem big
- B) To raise false alarms too many times
- B) To face the consequences of your actions
- A) To waste money by continuing a bad plan
- B) To destroy your chances of going back
- B) To take on too much and regret it
- B) To accept the results of your actions
Wrapping Up
In this article, we learned 45 idioms about regret. These phrases help people in the USA talk about feelings of wishing things had been different. From “cry over spilled milk” to “face the music,” these idioms make it easier to express and understand regret.
Now that you know these idioms, try using them when you talk about mistakes or missed chances. Using these expressions can help make your conversations clearer and more interesting. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, but learning from them is what matters most.
