as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
ruefully accepted the fact that the drunk driver would never adequately pay for his crime
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Recent Examples of ruefully
Carrie Warick-Smith, at the Association of Community College Trustees, laughed ruefully when she was asked when that journey — and the free money to start it — might actually begin.
—
Elissa Nadworny,
NPR,
30 June 2026
As Chemerinsky ruefully admits, courts have deemed such suits in recent decades to be political questions outside their scope.
—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2026
Nikki Glaser is looking back ruefully on being eliminated first from Dancing With the Stars season 27.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Defying the line in the play where Robert Shaw ruefully hopes none of his children will become actors, Ian Shaw is a veteran stage, film and TV performer, mostly taking smaller parts in the United Kingdom.
—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
This last comment came from a fellow traveler, ruefully disclosing an act of self-defense many years ago.
—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Elsa / Getty Images The Atlanta Falcons’ struggles had head coach Raheem Morris ruefully quoting his former boss and friend, Mike Tomlin.
—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
Safdie says as Johnson laughs ruefully.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
12 Nov. 2025
Annoyingly, the line was all McNamara, D'Arcy points out ruefully.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Elissa Nadworny,
NPR,
30 June 2026
As Chemerinsky ruefully admits, courts have deemed such suits in recent decades to be political questions outside their scope.
—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2026
Nikki Glaser is looking back ruefully on being eliminated first from Dancing With the Stars season 27.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Defying the line in the play where Robert Shaw ruefully hopes none of his children will become actors, Ian Shaw is a veteran stage, film and TV performer, mostly taking smaller parts in the United Kingdom.
—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
This last comment came from a fellow traveler, ruefully disclosing an act of self-defense many years ago.
—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Elsa / Getty Images The Atlanta Falcons’ struggles had head coach Raheem Morris ruefully quoting his former boss and friend, Mike Tomlin.
—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
Safdie says as Johnson laughs ruefully.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
12 Nov. 2025
Annoyingly, the line was all McNamara, D'Arcy points out ruefully.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruefully
Adverb
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With a goalkeeping howler and a red card, Marcelo Bielsa’s side self-imploded at the end of a bitterly disappointing tournament.
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And the organization’s internal splinter groups, the Soviet-leaning Weatherman Underground and the Maoist-leaning Progressive Labor faction fought each other bitterly.
Adverb
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Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.
Adverb
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To its sadly unusual credit, each Enola Holmes film has taken on a different social issue to address, albeit at times rather on the nose-edly.
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The Prince of Wales sadly won’t be attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s wedding Friday in New York City, but the heir to the British throne nonetheless made sure to offer some royal prestige to events.
Adverb
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So is the moment early in the film when Mary mournfully looks on as her long-ago home faces demolition to make room for a big, featureless residential complex.
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Things are getting hot in Kayce's love life, even after the widower mournfully visits the East Camp memorial to his beloved wife, Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille).
Adverb
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Her life remains a poignant reminder that America’s promise of liberty was still painfully incomplete for many who believed in it most.
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But for too many agencies, turning that data into a complete, compliant police report is still painfully manual, time-consuming and prone to error.
Cite this Entry
“Ruefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruefully. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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