Meaning & use
Rueful
Last updated
Expressing sorrow, regret, or self-mocking awareness of a mistake, often with a wry or bittersweet tone.
See it in a sentence
She gave a rueful smile after admitting she had forgotten the anniversary.
He shook his head with a rueful laugh at his own clumsiness.
A note on using this word
Comes from the archaic noun 'rue,' meaning regret, still seen in the phrase 'you'll rue the day.'
Words with a similar meaning
regretfulremorseful
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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