I'm Sorry Quotes: 100 Ways to Apologize (2024)

It's not easy saying sorry, but it can help spark the resolution you're looking for.

Sometimes, the hardest thing about saying "I'm sorry" is finding the right words to do so. After all, apologies are nuanced, and different situations demand different scripts. In his book, On Apology, Aaron Lazare, MD, explains that saying "I'm sorry" also involves reaffirming and resetting the values held by both parties. Specifically outlining your offense and the way in which you plan to remedy the situation are important details to include. To help you break the ice, we've put together a list of 100 I'm sorry quotes. Use these lines to kick off the conversation, advance the apology, or just to fill in the blanks!

RELATED: 102 Sad Quotes on Love, Life, and Loneliness

Apology Quotes for The Next Time You Need to Say I'm Sorry

There's no shortage of ways to say I'm sorry. To prove it, we've put together a long list of apologies from songs, books, movies, and past politicians.

I'm Sorry Quotes For Her

1. "Lately, I have been distant from you. And it's killing me. I'm sorry, sweetheart."
2. "Honey, I am so sorry for my awful behavior. I won't act that way again."
3. "I am sorry for crossing the lines we established. I promise never to do that again."
4. "I know I am not perfect and I make mistakes, but I am so glad that I have you to help me grow into the best version of myself."
5. "I want to let you know that I see how what I did was wrong now that I've had time to reflect on it."
6. "I never meant for things to spiral so out of control. I have made a huge mistake by hurting you. Please find it in your heart to forgive me."
7. "More than what I did, I am ashamed of who I have become. Please forgive me, and I promise you will see the best of me soon."
8. "Give me a chance to show that you are the most important thing in my life. I love you, and I am sorry."
9. "I know I was wrong for claiming that I was right. I promise to always consider your perspective. Please accept my apology."
10. "My lousy attitude has created an ugly stain on our relationship. I pray that time and forgiveness can wash it away. I'm sorry for being so bad to you."
11. "I want nothing more than your forgiveness. It hurts me to see you cry. Please help me make this right."
12. "My biggest mistake was letting my ego come in the way of a heartfelt apology. I am sorry, my love."

READ THIS NEXT: 70+ Amazing Life Quotes That Will Instantly Inspire You.

I'm Sorry Quotes From Literature

13. "I'm sorry I was awful. I'm so full of terrors."― The Sacred And Profane Love Machine by Iris Murdoch
14. "It's always too late for sorries, but I appreciate the sentiment."― The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
15. "Would 'sorry' have made any difference? Does it ever? It's just a word. One word against a thousand actions."― Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
16. "But sorry is the Kool-Aid of human emotions. […] True sorrow is as rare as true love." ― Carrie by Stephen King
17. "Sorry, mom. Sorry, God." — Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
18. "I love you and I always will and I am sorry. What a useless word." — The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway
19. "I loved and adored you, but I drained you like a thirsty man at a spring. I loved what you could give me —your admiration, your acceptance, your love, your forgiveness. I forgot to love you for yourself." — Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley
20. "When you forgive, you free your soul. But when you say I'm sorry, you free two souls." — Look Into the Stillness by Donald L. Hicks
21. "I am sorry for the pain I caused you, I feel so bad." – Love Letters From the Heart by Gabor Timis

I'm Sorry Quotes From Songs

22. "I don't know why, I made you cry. I'm sorry sweetheart and yet though you shouldn't be lenient with me, I hope you'll forgive and forget." — "What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry" by Frank Sinatra
23. "Everything is my fault, I'll take the blame." — "All Apologies" by Nirvana
24. "So many things that we never will undo I know you're sorry, I'm sorry too." – "Mississippi" by Bob Dylan
25. "Oh I'm sorry for blaming you for everything I just couldn't do, and I've hurt myself from hurting you." — "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera
26. "Hello from the outside. At least I can say that I've tried to tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart." — "Hello" by Adele
27. "It's sad, so sad. Why can't we talk it over. Oh it seems to me that sorry seems to be the hardest word." — "Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word" by Elton John
28. "I never meant to cause you any sorrow. I never meant to cause you any pain." — "Purple Rain" by Prince
29. "I'm sorry Ms. Jackson, I am for real. I never meant to make your daughter cry, I apologize a trillion times." — "Ms. Jackson" by Outkast
30. "Is it too late now to say sorry?" — "Sorry" by Justin Bieber
31. "I'm sorry, so sorry that I was such a fool. I didn't know love could be so cruel." — "I'm Sorry" by Brenda Lee
32. "If I could turn back time, if I could find a way. I'd take back those words that have hurt you. And you'd stay." — "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher
33. "Please forgive me, I know not what I do. Please forgive me, I can't stop loving you. Don't deny me, this pain I'm going through. Please forgive me, if I need you like I do. Please believe me, every word I say is true." — "Please Forgive Me" by Bryan Adams

RELATED: 75 Relationship Quotes to Reignite Your Love

I'm Sorry Quotes From Movies

—

34. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for everything." — The Mule
35. "People do bad things; if you're lucky, you get a chance to set it right, but most of the time it goes unpunished." — The Equalizer II
36. "I'm stupid. You're smart. I was wrong. You were right. You're the best. I'm the worst. You're very good-looking. I'm not attractive." — Happy Gilmore
37. "You should apologize to her. You may not live to get another chance." — Venom
38. "I'm a horrible person. You have every right to hate me. You should hate me. I want you to hate me! I insist that you hate me! I'm scum, I'm garbage, I'm vermin, and I'm sorry." — In & Out
39. "Everybody's sorry for something." — Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
40. "I'm sorry I brought this upon you, my boy. I'm sorry that you must carry this burden." — Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
41. "Master, I've disappointed you. I haven't been very appreciative of your training. I've been arrogant, and I apologize." — Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
42. "Sorry if I ever took a snap at you. Fish gotta swim. Birds gotta eat." — Finding Nemo
43. "Sorry. I… I'm sorry for the way I am. I didn't mean for things to go so wrong." — A Bug's Life

Thoughtful Apology Quotes

44. "When you realize you've made a mistake, make amends immediately. It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm." — Dan Heist
45. "The only correct actions are those that demand no explanation and no apology." — Red Auerbach
46. "An apology is a lovely perfume; it can transform the clumsiest moment into a gracious gift." — Margaret Lee Runbeck
47. "Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got." — Robert Brault
48. "The ability of a person to atone has always been the most remarkable of human features." — Leon Uris
49. "Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." — Paul Boese
50. "Let us forgive each other—only then will we live in peace." — Leo Tolstoy
51. "It is incredible how many hurts can be healed by the two words, 'I'm sorry.'"― Matshona Dhliwayo
52. "The hero isn't the one who is right, but the one who steps forward to take the blame—deserved or not—and apologize to save a relationship." – Richelle E. Goodrich
53. "True remorse is never just a regret over consequence; it is a regret over motive." – Mignon McLaughlin
54. "Sacrifice is at the heart of repentance. Without deeds, your apology is worthless." — Bryan Davis
55. "Any good apology has three parts: First, I'm sorry. Second, It's my fault. Third, What can I do to make it right? Most people forget the third part." — Unknown
56. "True friends stab you in the front." — Oscar Wilde
57. "Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge." – Isaac Friedman
58. "I am sorry I didn't tell you the truth before. I was hoping I wouldn't have to." — Anne Fortier
59. "You can make up a quarrel, but it will always show where it was patched." — Edgar Watson Howe
60. "Apologies are great, but they don't really change anything. You know what does? Action." — Stella Young
61. "A sincere and warmly expressed apology can produce the same effects as morphine on a suffering soul."― Richelle E. Goodrich

Humble Apology Quotes

62. "I'm not very good at saying sorry, but I apologize." – Chris Kurtz
63. "Not admitting a mistake is a bigger mistake." – Robert Half
64. "Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them." – Bruce Lee
65. "Be the hero of hearts; learn to say I'm sorry."― Richelle E. Goodrich
66. "I am immensely contrite. And I'm sorry for the damage I've done." – Jayson Blair
67. "It isn't always easy to apologize for your mistakes but doing so shows a person with a strong sense of self." – Byron Pulsifer
68. "What is past is past, there is a future left to all men, who have the virtue to repent and the energy to atone." – Edward Bulwer-Lytton
69. "Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions in the past."– Tyron Edwards
70. "Never believe you're so great or important, so right or proud, that you cannot kneel at the feet of someone you hurt and offer a humble, sincere apology."― Richelle E. Goodrich
71. "I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize, and so I do and put it on the equivalent of my front page." – Peter Coyote
72. "It's very hard for me to say I'm sorry… but I do." – Joe Nichols
73. "The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest." – Unknown
74. "The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway." – Henry Boye

I'm Sorry Quotes About Pride

75. "Apologies require taking full responsibility. No half-truths, no partial admissions, no rationalizations, no finger-pointing, and no justifications belong in any apology." — Cathy Burnham Martin
76. "Apologizing does not always mean you're wrong and the other person is right. It just means you value your relationship more than your ego." ― Mark Matthews
77. "If an apology is followed by an excuse or a reason, it means they are going to commit [the] same mistake again they just apologized for." — Amit Kalantri
78. "Never ruin an apology with an excuse." – Benjamin Franklin
79. "A stiff apology is a second insult… The injured party does not want to be compensated because he has been wronged; he wants to be healed because he has been hurt." — Gilbert K. Chesterton
80. "More people should apologize, and more people should accept apologies when sincerely made."— Greg LeMond
81. "Saying sorry to someone is hard… but putting your pride down for someone is the hardest." – Cristina Orante
82. "Apologize! That's the least you can do to try to make right something you have wronged." ― Sanhita Baruah
83. "Apology is only egotism wrong side out." — Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Funny I'm Sorry Quotes

84. "Nothing says you're sorry like a dead bunny." ― Patricia Briggs
85. "If I've done anything I'm sorry for, I'm willing to be forgiven." – Edward Noyes Westcott
86. "I am sorry for those that disagree with me because I know that they are wrong." — Woodrow Wilson
87. "I'm sorry, if you were right, I'd agree with you."— Robin Williams
88. "If you're going to do something tonight that you'll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late." — Henny Youngman
89. "Never make a defense or apology before you are accused." — King Charles I
90. "Chocolate says 'I'm sorry' so much better than words." – Rachel Vincent
91. "'I'm sorry.' The two most inadequate words in the English language." – Beth Revis
92. "An apology is the superglue of life! It can repair just about anything!"― Lynn Johnston
93. " Apology accepted. End of story." — Brad Goreski

Famous Apologies

94. "I want to say to each of you, simply, and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in." — Tiger Woods
95. "I probably owe an apology to fans that have been supportive and have not wanted to believe any of this was true." — George Michael
96. "I am a simple man who comes from a village, and villagers like us speak our mind. Now, in the process, if unknowingly my words came across as disrespectful or insulting, then I am deeply sorry. I don't want to hurt anyone." — Arijit Singh
97. "I ask the people of Connecticut for their forgiveness, I should have paid more attention to people around me and people that I trusted but I am sorry for my actions and take full responsibility." — John G. Rowland
98. "You're my backbone. You're a blessing. You're a piece of my heart. You're the air I breathe. And you're the strongest person I know, and I'm so sorry for having to put you through this and having to put our family through this." – Kobe Bryant
99. "Indeed I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong … I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that." — Bill Clinton
100. "It starts with this… I'm sorry Taylor." — Kanye West

Filed Under