1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the rueful faces of friends and family who had gathered to pay their last respects
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorry
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
a rueful youth who had come to ask for forgiveness for online bullying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
the rueful, desperate poverty of people in parts of the Third World
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rueful
Through Eisenhower’s ruminations, Hellesen’s script notably engages with passages that land with rueful resonance to today’s ears, drawing applause from Sunday evening’s opening night crowd.
—
Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
Wyle’s face — rueful, furious, gentle, world weary — looks like this year has felt.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
But most of Guy’s stories are told with the rueful smile of a man who knows his days of being underappreciated and underpaid are behind him.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2025
That was one last flourish of self-laceration, and there is definitely a matching strain of masochism in Hopkins—not so much a relish of suffering as a rueful acknowledgment that earthly woe is our due.
—Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
Wyle’s face — rueful, furious, gentle, world weary — looks like this year has felt.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
But most of Guy’s stories are told with the rueful smile of a man who knows his days of being underappreciated and underpaid are behind him.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2025
That was one last flourish of self-laceration, and there is definitely a matching strain of masochism in Hopkins—not so much a relish of suffering as a rueful acknowledgment that earthly woe is our due.
—Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rueful
Adjective
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The drama can stir up nostalgia and mournful emotions, and feels personal to many.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
On the soundtrack, mournful wailing music presents her as a tragic character.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
No one needed to feel sorry for her.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
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By the end, he's alienated (sorry) his wife and children, among others.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Trump has made a pitiful shambles of what should have been a glorious moment.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
-
With his country flailing in their pitiful attempts to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, at the age of 33, Zidane underwent his change of heart.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Crowdpleasers are nothing to be ashamed of.—
Chris Nashawaty,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 June 2026
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The experience left her feeling ashamed and fearful of being judged.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Consider this pathetic phenomenon yet one more reason the American people — or, at least, Californians — should demand a more rational way to fund political campaigns.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
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After a truly pathetic opening half, the Knicks needed to give each and every row in MSG something to cheer about.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Sam’s maternal grandparents are especially heartbroken.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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Aaron Brown, her heartbroken father, spoke at the vigil.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Austin said Quiros-Soto has remained cooperative throughout the process, and during his interview, appeared to be calm and remorseful.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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Peters doesn’t appear especially remorseful.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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