Sorry并不仅仅是抱歉，根据词典，sorry与sore同源，主要含义包括：1. 感受或表达同情、遗憾和后悔。例如，I’m sorry I’m late; I feel sorry for him; sorry over mistakes she had made; felt sorry over his vanished youth.

2. 差劲的、毫无价值的。例如，a sorry excuse; the car was a sorry piece of junk; a sorry horse; .3. 导致不幸或痛苦的。例如，a sorry development; the sorry days of the war; a sorry winter landscape; sorry rainy weather.

4. 可怜、痛苦的。例如，a sorry sight; her clothes were in sorry shape; a sorry decision; my finances were in a sorry state; a sorry state of affairs.

在第一个义项即有关道歉的含义上，“I’m sorry”根据不同语境至少可以有四种效果：1. I’m at fault：承认错误，是最彻底、最难作出的真诚道歉。这意味着道歉着准备承担一切后果。2. I regret it：表达遗憾，没有主观故意，也不一定承担后果。这是多数要求道歉的人所期望的结果，但有时候容易与I’m at fault混淆。3. I sympathize：表达同情和理解，事实上不属于道歉范围。在面对他人的损失和不幸时，这是常见说法。4. I’m not really sorry：事实上属于拒绝道歉，只不过语气委婉而已。