Gutted
What it really means
Very disappointed or upset about something. Used when something you hoped for goes wrong — losing a match, missing a chance, bad news.
Context, tips & common mistakes
Gutted means deeply disappointed — exam failed, team relegated, holiday cancelled — and it is the word Brits reach for when something genuinely mattered: 'I was absolutely gutted.' It carries more emotional honesty than most British vocabulary allows, which is exactly why it is so useful.
The social skill is the response: when someone tells you their bad news, 'oh mate, gutted for you' is real sympathy in native dress, and often lands better than an earnest speech. Keep it out of formal writing and serious contexts — you are 'very disappointed' in a complaint letter, gutted only in conversation — and note it has nothing to do with fish or buildings, despite the origin.