Sometimes, people feel bad about something they did or didn’t do. This feeling is called regret. Regret can happen when you wish you had made a different choice. Maybe you forgot to say sorry or didn’t help a friend when they needed you. These moments can make your heart feel heavy.
To talk about regret in a clear way, we can use metaphors. A metaphor is a phrase that compares one thing to another to help explain feelings better. Metaphors make big ideas easier to understand. They help us show how we feel using words that paint a picture. In this article, you’ll learn many ways to describe regret using simple and meaningful phrases. These will help you understand and talk about regret in your own words.
Metaphors for Regret
1. Regret is a shadow
Meaning: It follows you around and reminds you of the past.
Example: Even after the test, the mistake felt like a shadow behind me.
Put Differently: I couldn’t stop thinking about what I did wrong. / My regret stayed close, like a shadow.
2. Regret is a backpack of stones
Meaning: It feels heavy and hard to carry.
Example: Every time I thought about lying, it felt like a backpack of stones.
Put Differently: It weighed on me all day. / I felt like I was carrying a heavy load.
3. Regret is a fog
Meaning: It makes your thinking unclear.
Example: I couldn’t focus during class because regret was like a fog in my mind.
Put Differently: My mind was cloudy. / I couldn’t think straight.
4. Regret is a flat tire
Meaning: It slows you down.
Example: I wanted to play, but regret was like a flat tire holding me back.
Put Differently: I couldn’t move on easily. / I felt stuck.
5. Regret is a broken clock
Meaning: It keeps you stuck in one moment.
Example: I kept thinking about what I said, like a broken clock stuck at one time.
Put Differently: I couldn’t stop going back to that moment. / I was frozen in time.
6. Regret is a bruise
Meaning: It hurts, even after time passes.
Example: My regret over yelling still feels like a bruise.
Put Differently: It still hurts a little. / I feel sore when I think about it.
7. Regret is spilled milk
Meaning: It can’t be fixed once it’s done.
Example: I missed the field trip, and it felt like spilled milk.
Put Differently: I couldn’t undo it. / The chance was gone.
8. Regret is a maze
Meaning: It’s hard to find your way out.
Example: I kept going over my mistake like being lost in a maze.
Put Differently: I didn’t know how to move forward. / I felt trapped.
9. Regret is a rainy day
Meaning: It makes you feel gloomy.
Example: Forgetting to help my friend made my day feel like a rainy day.
Put Differently: I felt sad all day. / The mistake made everything feel gray.
10. Regret is a crack in glass
Meaning: It shows damage that doesn’t go away.
Example: After what I said, it felt like a crack in our friendship.
Put Differently: Things didn’t feel the same. / Our bond was hurt.
11. Regret is a lost balloon
Meaning: It’s gone and you can’t get it back.
Example: Not saying goodbye felt like watching a balloon float away.
Put Differently: I missed my chance. / It was too late.
12. Regret is a thorn
Meaning: It keeps poking at you.
Example: The memory of my mistake was like a thorn in my heart.
Put Differently: It kept bothering me. / It hurt a little every time I remembered.
13. Regret is a missed bus
Meaning: You lost an important chance.
Example: Not signing up felt like missing the bus.
Put Differently: The chance passed me by. / I didn’t get to do it.
14. Regret is a closed door
Meaning: An opportunity is gone.
Example: I didn’t ask for help, and now the door is closed.
Put Differently: I can’t go back. / That moment is over.
15. Regret is an echo
Meaning: It keeps repeating in your mind.
Example: What I said kept echoing in my head.
Put Differently: I couldn’t stop hearing it. / The words stayed with me.
16. Regret is a cold wind
Meaning: It makes you feel uncomfortable.
Example: The thought of what I did was like a cold wind down my back.
Put Differently: It gave me a chill. / It felt unpleasant.
17. Regret is a knot
Meaning: It’s a tight feeling inside.
Example: I had a knot in my stomach after lying.
Put Differently: I felt nervous and bad. / My tummy felt tight.
18. Regret is a locked box
Meaning: It keeps feelings hidden inside.
Example: I never said sorry, and now my regret is locked up.
Put Differently: I keep it inside. / I never let it out.
19. Regret is a sinking boat
Meaning: Things get worse the longer you wait.
Example: I waited too long, and my regret sank like a boat.
Put Differently: I missed my chance to fix it. / It got worse.
20. Regret is a whisper
Meaning: It speaks quietly but won’t go away.
Example: I tried to forget, but regret whispered in my ear.
Put Differently: The thought wouldn’t leave. / It stayed in my mind.
21. Regret is a wilted flower
Meaning: Something once good has faded.
Example: Skipping my friend’s play felt like a wilted flower.
Put Differently: I missed something nice. / It didn’t feel the same after.
22. Regret is a popped balloon
Meaning: It ends something fun too soon.
Example: I said the wrong thing, and the fun popped like a balloon.
Put Differently: The moment was ruined. / It stopped being fun.
23. Regret is an itchy sweater
Meaning: It’s annoying and doesn’t go away.
Example: The lie I told felt like an itchy sweater I couldn’t take off.
Put Differently: It made me feel uncomfortable. / I wanted it gone.
24. Regret is a broken pencil
Meaning: It can’t be used the same way again.
Example: I broke my promise and it felt like a broken pencil.
Put Differently: It couldn’t be fixed easily. / Things didn’t work after that.
25. Regret is an old scar
Meaning: It stays with you even after it heals.
Example: The time I let my friend down is like a scar I still see.
Put Differently: I still remember that pain. / It left a mark.
26. Regret is a storm cloud
Meaning: It brings sadness and doesn’t go away quickly.
Example: Not saying sorry was like walking under a storm cloud.
Put Differently: It made my day feel dark. / It followed me.
27. Regret is a crooked line
Meaning: Things didn’t go as planned.
Example: My bad choice made everything a crooked line.
Put Differently: It messed things up. / Nothing was straight anymore.
28. Regret is a dull knife
Meaning: It doesn’t help you anymore.
Example: My regret made it hard to think clearly, like using a dull knife.
Put Differently: It didn’t help me. / It made things harder.
29. Regret is a heavy chain
Meaning: It keeps you from moving on.
Example: I couldn’t enjoy the party because my regret was like a heavy chain.
Put Differently: I felt stuck. / I couldn’t let go of the past.
30. Regret is a broken toy
Meaning: Something fun is now sad.
Example: I broke the rules and now it’s like my fun turned into a broken toy.
Put Differently: I ruined the good time. / It stopped being fun.
31. Regret is a missed goal
Meaning: You didn’t reach what you wanted.
Example: I didn’t study, and my grade was a missed goal.
Put Differently: I didn’t do my best. / I lost my chance.
32. Regret is a quiet room
Meaning: It makes things feel empty.
Example: After the fight, the room felt quiet with regret.
Put Differently: It felt lonely. / No one wanted to talk.
33. Regret is a melted ice cream
Meaning: A good moment was wasted.
Example: I waited too long to join, and now my chance melted like ice cream.
Put Differently: The fun was gone. / I missed out.
34. Regret is a tangled string
Meaning: It’s hard to fix once it’s messy.
Example: I lied and now my feelings are like tangled string.
Put Differently: It’s all mixed up. / I don’t know how to fix it.
35. Regret is a lonely bench
Meaning: It makes you feel left out.
Example: I didn’t say I was sorry, and now I sit on a bench of regret.
Put Differently: I feel alone. / I missed being part of things.
36. Regret is a hole in your shoe
Meaning: It keeps bothering you with each step.
Example: Every time I think of it, regret pokes me like a hole in my shoe.
Put Differently: It keeps hurting a little. / It won’t go away.
37. Regret is a cracked mirror
Meaning: It changes how you see yourself.
Example: I broke my promise and now my view of myself is cracked.
Put Differently: I don’t feel proud. / I don’t see myself the same way.
38. Regret is a slow song
Meaning: It makes everything feel slower and sad.
Example: After that moment, life felt like a slow song.
Put Differently: Everything felt low and quiet. / I didn’t feel happy.
39. Regret is a drooped flag
Meaning: It shows defeat or sadness.
Example: I didn’t try, and my spirit drooped like a flag in the rain.
Put Differently: I felt down. / I gave up.
40. Regret is a burnt toast
Meaning: A small mistake that ruins the moment.
Example: I said the wrong thing, and it was like burnt toast at breakfast.
Put Differently: I messed up the whole moment. / It didn’t turn out right.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity: Rewrite the Sentence
Below are 10 sentences that show feelings or situations of regret. Rewrite each one using a metaphor from the list above.
Sentences to Rewrite
- I didn’t tell the truth, and now I feel bad.
- I forgot my friend’s birthday and felt sad.
- I didn’t speak up when I had the chance.
- I lost my favorite toy by not being careful.
- I made a promise I couldn’t keep.
- I didn’t say sorry when I should have.
- I laughed at someone and now feel guilty.
- I waited too long to join the game.
- I didn’t listen, and I hurt someone’s feelings.
- I copied homework and wish I hadn’t.
Answer Key
- I didn’t tell the truth, and now regret feels like a knot in my stomach.
- I forgot my friend’s birthday and felt like a wilted flower.
- I didn’t speak up when I had the chance, it was like missing the bus.
- I lost my favorite toy, and it felt like spilled milk.
- I made a promise I couldn’t keep, and now it feels like a broken pencil.
- I didn’t say sorry, and my regret is locked in a box.
- I laughed at someone and now my regret is like a thorn that pokes me.
- I waited too long to join the game, and my chance melted like ice cream.
- I didn’t listen, and now the moment feels like a cracked mirror.
- I copied homework, and now regret feels like a shadow following me.
Conclusion
Regret is something we all feel sometimes. Using metaphors can help explain these feelings in simple ways. These comparisons show how regret can feel heavy, sad, or stuck. When we talk about regret, it helps us understand it and learn from it. Next time you feel regret, try to think of it as something you can learn from not just something that hurts.
