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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rueful
Instead Kidman was wry, rueful, unsure of herself.
—
Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
After that excruciating miss Saturday, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
After that excruciating miss, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile.
—Howard Fendrich, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
The only catharsis or healing to be found in the film comes from the titular apology, more a rueful word of caution than anything else.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
After that excruciating miss Saturday, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
After that excruciating miss, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile.
—Howard Fendrich, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
The only catharsis or healing to be found in the film comes from the titular apology, more a rueful word of caution than anything else.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rueful
Adjective
-
The Fitzgerald's final moments shrouded in mystery, Lightfoot's mournful song, the number of lives lost, and the size of the ship alone led her to quickly become the most famous shipwreck in Michigan.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The zebras pranced, all frisky energy; the elephants, lumbering and mournful, trailed behind with their ancient thoughts.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
River, tree, sorry, adder, stink, future, plughole.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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The city is home to endless freeways, not-great public transportation, dry air and hard water, clout-chasing name-droppers, oppressive wellness culture, and $20 status smoothies (which are delicious, sorry to say).—
Rachel Brodsky,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Even the minimum requirement — qualifying for the Champions League — depends on it because six points out of a possible 18 away from home so far is pitiful.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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With a release on just over 2,000 screens, that's a pitiful per-theater-average of $649.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
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
-
Carol is a very successful writer who’s ashamed of the work that’s become her calling card.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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Here’s where the show does have some awareness about its characters’ problematic indiscretions, and Carrington pushes back to point out that a relationship with a trans woman isn’t anything to be ashamed of.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Enter Claude Whelan, played by James Callis, a fine actor with a face that can contort itself into about a dozen different versions of misery and pathetic dismay.—
Brian Grubb,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ratcheting up the pressure on the pathetic Putin will be the only way this war ends.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As the title suggests, the book details Turner's tale of a heartbroken widower who became an unlikely senior-citizen TV star on the first season of the reality show, which ended with an engagement to Nist.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
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Thomas told the outlet that her brother’s diagnosis left their family heartbroken.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
During her sentencing, Javice appeared remorseful, according to several reports.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
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While the lyrics seem remorseful, Cardi’s only regrets are for him.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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