buyer's remorse

[ bahy-erz ri-mawrs ]

noun

1. a sense of regret or uneasiness after having purchased a house, car, or other major item, especially when the acquisition involves an ongoing financial burden:

   We love our vacation property, but it took two years to get over our buyer’s remorse.

2. a sense of regret after having committed to an endorsement, policy, plan of action, etc.:

   Congressional leaders expressed buyer’s remorse after overriding the president’s veto.

Word History and Origins

Origin of buyer's remorse¹

First recorded in 1965–70