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rue 1 of 2

noun

Definition of ruenext
as in regret
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing a soul filled with pain and rue

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rue

2 of 2

verb

ˈrü How to pronounce rue (audio)
as in to regret
to feel sorry or dissatisfied about I rue the day I agreed to this stupid plan

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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 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
  1. regret
  2. remorse
  3. guilt
  4. shame
Noun
  • Knowing those stories and the people in them also passes on lessons learned involving grief, regret and forgiveness.
    — Carole Horst, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • High-confidence, low-regret actions can graduate to constrained execution.
    — Abhirup Ghosh, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of regret
Noun
  • Does something deep down, some latent remorse, urge them to speak out?
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors quickly pointed out that not a single letter mentioned the victims or showed any remorse.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of remorse
Noun
  • Many 9/11 first responders alive today feel as Sanchez does, more preoccupied with their survivor’s guilt than their own ailments.
    — Lila Dominus, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • They are bound together not only by their shared grief, but also by the unspoken guilt and blame that Lux and Ella can only hope to expiate through each other.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of guilt
Noun
  • The creativity was not there, which is a shame when Morgan Gibbs-White is on the pitch.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The pain of his inability to speak about the tangle of anger and shame gnawing at him is palpable.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of shame

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Cite this Entry

“Rue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rue. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rue

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rue

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