rueful

[ˈruː.fəl]

rueful Definition

feeling or showing sorrow or regret, especially in a wry or humorous way.

Using rueful: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "rueful" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  He gave a rueful smile and admitted his mistake.

• Example

  She looked at him with a rueful expression.

• Example

  I felt a little rueful about not going to the party.

rueful Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for rueful

• regretful
• remorseful
• sorry

Antonyms for rueful

• unrepentant
• unapologetic

Phrases with rueful

• rueful grin

  a smile expressing sorrow or regret

  Example

  He gave a rueful grin and said he should have listened to her advice.

• rueful admission

  an acknowledgment of a mistake or wrongdoing with a sense of regret

  Example

  With a rueful admission, he confessed that he had lied to his friend.

• rueful look

  a facial expression that conveys a sense of sadness or regret

  Example

  She gave him a rueful look and said she wished she had done things differently.

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Summary: rueful in Brief

The term 'rueful' [ˈruː.fəl] describes a feeling or expression of sorrow or regret, often in a wry or humorous way. It is used to express remorse for a mistake or wrongdoing, as in 'He gave a rueful smile and admitted his mistake.' 'Rueful' can also be used to describe a facial expression, such as a 'rueful look,' which conveys a sense of sadness or regret.