Definition of "remorse"

In criminal proceedings, empirical studies have shown that remorse plays an important role in observers’ judgments of defendants.

2014 March 1, Rocksheng Zhong, Madelon Baranoski, Neal Feigenson, Larry Davidson, Alec Buchanan, Howard V. Zonana, “So You’re Sorry? The Role of Remorse in Criminal Law”, in Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online, Volume 42, Issue 1‎, pages 39–48

Failure, disgrace, poverty, sorrow, despair, suffering, tears even, the broken words that come from lips in pain, remorse that makes one walk on thorns, conscience that condemns . . —all these were things of which I was afraid.

1897, Oscar Wilde, De Profundis

This is the bloodiest shame,The wildest savagery, the vilest stroke,That ever wall-eyed wrath or staring ragePresented to the tears of soft remorse.

c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iii]

And if we look abroad, to take a view of men as they are, we shall find that they remorse in one place, for doing or omitting that which others, in another place, think they merit by.

1689, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

When they have accepted their advice and have some upleasant experience then they remorse.

2009, Pankaj Arora, Sex Education In Schools, page 142

Then with godly sorrow they remorse with a humble heart, and they repent.

2020, Donald Werner, The Mark of the Beast or the Seal of Yahoveh God?, page 7