--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words…" description: "\"“I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English language.”\" — Beth Revis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg" --- # I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English… ![“I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English language.” quote by Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg) > ““I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English language.”” [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Apologizing often feels insufficient, highlighting language's limits in expressing true remorse. **In simple terms:** Saying sorry can feel inadequate. Key Takeaway Seek deeper ways to express regret. Themes communication empathy language limitations authenticity Mood thoughtful introspective serious Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - personal apologies - customer service interactions - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology linguistics social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you convey sincere remorse beyond words? - When is silence more powerful than an apology? A Different Perspective Words may not convey the depth of feeling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing/) [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [English language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-language/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Friendship apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship-apology-68049/) [I apologize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-apologize/) [I m sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-m-sorry/) [Im sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/im-sorry/) [Inadequate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inadequate/) [Inadequate Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inadequate-words-889320/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Saying i'm sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-i-m-sorry/) [Saying im sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-im-sorry-164055/) [Saying sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-sorry/) [Sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorry/) [Sorry Inadequate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorry-inadequate-2785701/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [Apologies only account for that which they do not alter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/apologies-only-account-for-that-which-they-do-not-alter/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Among the reasons people keep sad stories to themselves is that they do not want anyone to feel sorry for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-moore/among-the-reasons-people-keep-sad-stories-to-themselves-is-that-they/) [Judith Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-moore/) > [You can make up a quarrel, but it will always show where it was patched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/you-can-make-up-a-quarrel-but-it-will-always-show-where-it-was-patched/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [The ability of a person to atone has always been the most remarkable of human features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/the-ability-of-a-person-to-atone-has-always-been-the-most-remarkable/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [It takes a great deal of character strength to apologize quickly out of one's heart rather than out of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/it-takes-a-great-deal-of-character-strength-to-apologize-quickly-out-2/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Sorry for my inadequate, but I want you to know I'm not perfect, and I'm sure I gave my best, but if you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/sorry-for-my-inadequate-but-i-want-you-to-know-i-m-not-perfect-and-i/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Saying, 'I'm sorry' is the same as saying, ' I apologize.' Except at a funeral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/saying-i-m-sorry-is-the-same-as-saying-i-apologize-except-at-a-funeral/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I suppose all this sounds very crazy — all these terrible emotions always do sound foolish when we put them into our inadequate words.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-suppose-all-this-sounds-very-crazy-all-these-terrible-emotions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I love you," she murmured. The words ... it was as though an entire sun had exploded in his chest. He'd been ridiculous. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/i-love-you-she-murmured-the-words-it-was-as-though-an-entire-sun-had/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [When one is grateful for something too good for common thanks, writing is less unsatisfactory than speech-one does not, at least, hear how inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/when-one-is-grateful-for-something-too-good-for-common-thanks-writing/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I still want to write Clint Eastwood a letter saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry for all us wimp actors. You're the truth.' I guarantee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-tatum/i-still-want-to-write-clint-eastwood-a-letter-saying-i-m-sorry-i-m/) [Channing Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-tatum/) > [I'm done saying 'I'm sorry I wasn't who you needed or wanted me to be' to everybody in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-m-done-saying-i-m-sorry-i-wasn-t-who-you-needed-or-wanted-me-to-be/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Don't remember the moment I tried to forget I lost myself, is it better not said Now I'm closer to the edge It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/30-seconds-to-mars/don-t-remember-the-moment-i-tried-to-forget-i-lost-myself-is-it/) [30 Seconds To Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/30-seconds-to-mars/) > [Avant-garde means never having to say you're sorry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ribot/avant-garde-means-never-having-to-say-you-re-sorry/) [Marc Ribot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ribot/) ## More by Beth Revis > [“She grips my elbow tighter, somehow finding the thinnest skin to dig her fingernails into. I want to pry her fingers from my arm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/she-grips-my-elbow-tighter-somehow-finding-the-thinnest-skin-to-dig/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“You always think that drowning is loud. In the movies, if someone drowns they scream, they churn water. Everyone notices a drowning person in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/you-always-think-that-drowning-is-loud-in-the-movies-if-someone/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“There are countless reasons to be jealous. But that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/there-are-countless-reasons-to-be-jealous-but-that-doesn-t-mean-you/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“It Will be better to die quickly with only the taste of freedom on our lips than to live long lives pretending not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/it-will-be-better-to-die-quickly-with-only-the-taste-of-freedom-on/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“This is what I'm king of: a whirling mass of humans who either hate me or ignore me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/this-is-what-i-m-king-of-a-whirling-mass-of-humans-who-either-hate-me/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“People will survive anything for their children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/people-will-survive-anything-for-their-children/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“It's bad, being frozen, but it's better than waking up alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/it-s-bad-being-frozen-but-it-s-better-than-waking-up-alone/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“If we don't have that, what do we have to live for? Does it matter if it's a lie if it keeps us alive?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/if-we-don-t-have-that-what-do-we-have-to-live-for-does-it-matter-if/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“Everyone has wounds; everyone pretends they don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/everyone-has-wounds-everyone-pretends-they-don-t/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“I want her so much that it overrides everything else, every other thought in my head, every instinct, every restraint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-want-her-so-much-that-it-overrides-everything-else-every-other/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“This is the secret of the stars. In the end, we are alone no matter how close you seem, no one else can touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/this-is-the-secret-of-the-stars-in-the-end-we-are-alone-no-matter-how/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“I click on the deaths and read the names carefully, memorising them. Because here’s the simple truth—if I hadn’t taken the ship off Phydus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-click-on-the-deaths-and-read-the-names-carefully-memorising-them/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“But...If my life on Earth must end, let it end with a promise. Let it end with hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/but-if-my-life-on-earth-must-end-let-it-end-with-a-promise-let-it-end/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“The glitter in the sky looks as if I could scoop it all up in my hands and let the stars swirl and touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/the-glitter-in-the-sky-looks-as-if-i-could-scoop-it-all-up-in-my/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“Memories always kill nightmares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/memories-always-kill-nightmares/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) [Explore all 172 Beth Revis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) ## More Apologizing quotes > [“There were probably many factors that kept the relationship going and kept your love alive. There were all his promises. "I promise this will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-kennedy-dugan/there-were-probably-many-factors-that-kept-the-relationship-going-and/) [Meg Kennedy Dugan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-kennedy-dugan/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) [Allison Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pataki/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [I have some friends who are actors. I've watched them work. And I would say that of all the arts, acting is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-have-some-friends-who-are-actors-i-ve-watched-them-work-and-i-would/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [President Bush deliberately did not apologize for things and that’s because advisers around him, including those there, felt that the press corps would jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gregory/president-bush-deliberately-did-not-apologize-for-things-and-that-s/) [David Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gregory/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) [Marilyn Tavenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-tavenner/) > [My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball. I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/my-overall-point-is-that-one-and-dones-are-not-healthy-for-college/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Don't apologize for being patriotic. Support the troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/don-t-apologize-for-being-patriotic-support-the-troops/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [How many chefs when I was a young boy shouted at me during service? All I ever said was "Yes, chef." The customer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/how-many-chefs-when-i-was-a-young-boy-shouted-at-me-during-service/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [I want to use my connections with coaches, players, celebrities, whomever, and if I can take that friendship and use it to help someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/i-want-to-use-my-connections-with-coaches-players-celebrities/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [I apologize for the cruel things that I did but I don't regret one single word I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-finger-death-punch/i-apologize-for-the-cruel-things-that-i-did-but-i-don-t-regret-one/) [Five Finger Death Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-finger-death-punch/) [Browse all 854 Apologizing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English language.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Beth Revis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words-in-the-english-language/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apologizing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words-in-the-english-language/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/beth-revis-2212_apologizing_i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words_288976.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English language.” — Beth Revis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Beth Revis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words-in-the-english-language/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words-in-the-english-language/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```