Thesaurus
Synonyms & Antonyms of rueful
1
expressing or suggesting mourning
- the rueful faces of friends and family who had gathered to pay their last respects
Synonyms for rueful
Words Related to rueful
- dirgelike,
- elegiac
- (also elegiacal),
- melancholy
- dejected,
- depressed,
- despondent,
- disconsolate,
- dispirited,
- downcast,
- downhearted,
- heartsick,
- heartsore,
- inconsolable,
- tearful
Near Antonyms for rueful
- ecstatic,
- elated,
- euphoric,
- exhilarated,
- giddy,
- heady,
- rapturous,
- rhapsodic
- (also rhapsodical)
2
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
- a rueful youth who had come to ask for forgiveness for online bullying
Synonyms for rueful
Words Related to rueful
Near Antonyms for rueful
Antonyms for rueful
3
deserving of one's pity
- the rueful, desperate poverty of people in parts of the Third World
Synonyms for rueful
Words Related to rueful
Near Antonyms for rueful
Keep scrolling for more
Learn More About rueful
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 22 Oct. 2021.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Difficult Spelling Words Quiz
-
- Which is the correct spelling?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Name that Thing: Musical Instruments
Can you correctly identify these musical instrume...
Take the quiz
-
Surprising Latin American Origins Behind Everyday Words
What treat did the Aztecs refer to as "bitter wat...
Take the quiz
-
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
Take the quiz
Share rueful
Time Traveler for rueful
The first known use of rueful was in the 13th century
See more words from the same century