1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the rueful faces of friends and family who had gathered to pay their last respects
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorry
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
a rueful youth who had come to ask for forgiveness for online bullying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
the rueful, desperate poverty of people in parts of the Third World
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rueful
What’s a cocky teenage boy to an English teacher in middle life and his rueful wife?
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Baker clearly respects and admires Ani, and looks with rueful empathy at the severe orders and fearsome threats under which the three tough guys labor, the harsh yet frivolous upbringing that has left Vanya a terrified emotional baby.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
But most of my friends grimace and then, after a rueful joke, move on to other topics.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
The book also has a complicated, somewhat rueful take on race.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Baker clearly respects and admires Ani, and looks with rueful empathy at the severe orders and fearsome threats under which the three tough guys labor, the harsh yet frivolous upbringing that has left Vanya a terrified emotional baby.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
But most of my friends grimace and then, after a rueful joke, move on to other topics.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
The book also has a complicated, somewhat rueful take on race.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rueful
Adjective
-
The band played somber hymns marking Good Friday, a mournful day during Holy Week.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s not gonna happen with Chubby Checker, sorry.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2025
-
That’s not to say that Liverpool supporters spent that moment feeling sorry for themselves.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
So many of the latter comes thanks to Niecy Nash’s Nurse DiDi, who seems to take the time to see her patients as worthwhile much more often than her cohorts, the self-important Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf) and pitiful nurse Dawn (Alex Borstein).—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Look, everyone points to injuries as the reason for the pitiful performance so far this season, but a lot of teams are dealing with injuries.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
The people running this organization should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2025
-
That’s plain wrong, and the justices ought to be ashamed.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Read more The pathetic, slow-motion downfall of Barack Obama Houseguests and fish begin to smell after three days, as the saying goes.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Regression was fair to expect, but man did the Canucks just look offensively pathetic most of the year.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
King was on an errand to pick up a snack for his mom when he was shot, heartbroken relatives said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Downs recovered from her injuries but remained heartbroken over the loss of her friends and overwhelmed with survivor's guilt.—
Laurel Morales,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Gayle’s attorney, Diane Gonzalez, told McClatchy News that Gayle was remorseful and broke down on the stand when testifying.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Eric claims to be remorseful, and makes a big point of it.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share