Meaning & use
ruefully
Last updated
In a way that shows sorrowful or regretful feeling, often mixed with wry acknowledgment of a mistake.
See it in a sentence
He rubbed his sore head ruefully after walking into the doorframe.
She smiled ruefully, admitting she should have listened to the warning.
A note on using this word
Comes from the adjective 'rueful,' which traces back to 'rue,' meaning to feel sorrow or regret.
Words with a similar meaning
regretfullyremorsefullysorrowfully
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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