Can you "regret" someone else's action?
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Chapters
00:00 Can You &Quot;Regret&Quot; Someone Else'S Action?
00:28 Answer 1 Score 0
00:47 Accepted Answer Score 3
01:07 Answer 3 Score 2
01:33 Answer 4 Score 0
01:50 Thank you
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Full question
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Tags
#meaning #wordusage
#avk47
ACCEPTED ANSWER
Score 3
Oxford American Dictionary includes the following example of the first definition:
I regretted that he did not see you.
So it seems like it's possible to regret something that you didn't cause. Although this is not the common use, I also can't think of a better word.
ANSWER 2
Score 2
As for grammaticality your sentence "He always regretted her impulsive decisions." is entirely acceptable and immediately understandable. (Data point of 1 native BrE speaker here.)
As for its usage, again, yes one can certainly "regret" someone else's actions; only the other day I caught a snippet on the TV about a man in California regretting his son's actions in killing a number of people. I don't recall that he used the word "regret" but that was certainly what he was doing.
ANSWER 3
Score 0
I regret his decision, I regret his leaving:
Though it doesn't sound ungrammatical ( at least to me) there is not much evidence of "regret" used with respect to someone else's actions. I'd say that usage of "regret" is mainly with respect to one's action.
ANSWER 4
Score 0
Empathy not regret should be the proper term unless there is reason for a guilty conscience. Getting the accused in a legal trial to admit regret over an alleged action will surely conclude negatively for that individual if they are claiming innocence; I posit this shows my position to be falsifiable.