"Sorry to say ..." (4)

I think it could be either:

Which length description are you looking for?:

alas

'sorry to say' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

This is all the clue.

(Other definitions for alas that I've seen before include "Lackaday" , "-- and alack!" , "Cry of woe" , "Regretfully!" , "Cry of regret" .)

I've seen this clue in The Wall Street Journal and the Universal.

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