Regret: quick facts
Regret is the painful feeling that arises from believing a different past choice would have led to a better outcome. It is a deeply cognitive emotion, built on comparing what happened with an imagined alternative.…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Sadness
Typical triggers
Past choices, missed chances, mistakes, paths not taken, hindsight
How it's expressed
Downcast eyes, sighing, slumped posture, reflective and wistful tone
Sources: American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions; Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik) — overview; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) — Depression. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.