RUE Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

rue 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rue

as in regret

a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing a soul filled with pain and rue

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rue

2 of 2

verb

ˈrü

as in to regret

to feel sorry or dissatisfied about I rue the day I agreed to this stupid plan

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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 rue

Noun

Sometimes the case for war’s inevitability is couched in expressions of rue and reluctance. — Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025 Native Son Hunter Brown Got Away From Tigers The Tigers rue that Brown got away. — John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Verb

The home fans were ruing the injuries to David Hancko and Jose Maria Gimenez, and a suspension for Marc Pubill, which saw Simeone turn to him for such a huge game. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2026 The Cubs will rue the extra-inning opportunities more than any other on Saturday. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rue

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rue

Noun

North Korea issued a vague expression of regret over the soldiers’ injuries without clearly accepting responsibility.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
The difficult stuff was writing about regrets regarding my relationship with my father.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of regret

Noun

His new novel, Vigil, tells the story of an angel tasked with helping a billionaire feel a degree of remorse for his actions before crossing over.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
And while the platform and culture may have changed, the thrill of the hunt—and occasional buyer’s remorse—has not.

— Adam Erace, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of remorse

Noun

Consumed by guilt, Verity acted paralyzed as penance, and to remain close to Jeremy and their remaining child.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
East of Eden is a tome obsessed with guilt, sin, ambition, race, the land as healing and capitalism as putrefying, the nature of fate and the question of free will, and the role money and inheritance play in either our corruption or our cleansing.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of guilt

Noun

There were flashes of politics and victim blaming, judgment and shame in a case that’s rife with unanswered questions and likely to evolve as more details come to light.

— Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Its main goal is to name and shame businesses with ties to the settlements.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of shame

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rudiments

rue

rued

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Style

“Rue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rue. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of rue

noun

verb

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