Wish vs. Regret — What's the Difference?

A wish is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices.

Regret is the emotion of wishing one had made a different decision in the past, because the consequences of the decision were unfavorable. Regret is related to perceived opportunity.

Feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that cannot or probably will not happen

Feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that one has done or failed to do)

Want to do something

A feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over an occurrence or something that one has done or failed to do

Hope that (someone) has to deal with someone or something undesirable

To feel sorry, disappointed, distressed, or remorseful about

A desire or hope for something to happen

To remember with a feeling of loss or sorrow; mourn

A feeling that one would like to have or do something or to see something happen; a desire, longing, or strong inclination for a specific thing.

To feel regret.

An expression of a desire, longing, or strong inclination

A feeling of sorrow, disappointment, distress, or remorse about something that one wishes could be different.

An expression of desire for the happiness or success of another

A sense of loss and longing for someone or something gone or passed out of existence

Something desired or longed for

Regrets A courteous expression of regret, especially at having to decline an invitation.

To long for; want.

To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.

To feel or express a desire for

(more generally) To feel sorry about (any thing).

To order, entreat, or request

To miss; to feel the loss or absence of; to mourn.

To desire (something bad) to happen to someone

Emotional pain on account of something done or experienced in the past, with a wish that it had been different; a looking back with dissatisfaction or with longing.

To have or feel a desire

(obsolete) Dislike; aversion.

To express a wish.

(decision theory) The amount of avoidable loss that results from choosing the wrong action.

A desire, hope, or longing for something or for something to happen.

Pain of mind on account of something done or experienced in the past, with a wish that it had been different; a looking back with dissatisfaction or with longing; grief; sorrow; especially, a mourning on account of the loss of some joy, advantage, or satisfaction.

An expression of such a desire, often connected with ideas of magic and supernatural power.

Dislike; aversion.

The thing desired or longed for.

To experience regret on account of; to lose or miss with a sense of regret; to feel sorrow or dissatisfaction on account of (the happening or the loss of something); as, to regret an error; to regret lost opportunities or friends.

(Sussex) A water meadow.

Sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment;

(transitive) To desire; to want.

Feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about

To hope (+ object clause with may or in present subjunctive).

Feel sad about the loss or absence of

To hope (for a particular outcome), even if that outcome is unlikely to occur or cannot occur.

Decline formally or politely;

(ditransitive) To bestow (a thought or gesture) towards (someone or something).

Be sorry;

To request or desire to do an activity.

(transitive) To recommend; to seek confidence or favour on behalf of.

To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker.

To desire; to long for; to hanker after; to have a mind or disposition toward.

To frame or express desires concerning; to invoke in favor of, or against, any one; to attribute, or cal down, in desire; to invoke; to imprecate.

To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of.

Desire; eager desire; longing.

Expression of desire; request; petition; hence, invocation or imprecation.

A thing desired; an object of desire.

A specific feeling of desire;

An expression of some desire or inclination;

(usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare;

The particular preference that you have;

Hope for; have a wish;

Prefer or wish to do something;

Have in mind;

Make or express a wish;

Feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of

Order politely; express a wish for

Invoke upon;