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
What’s a cocky teenage boy to an English teacher in middle life and his rueful wife?
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Baker clearly respects and admires Ani, and looks with rueful empathy at the severe orders and fearsome threats under which the three tough guys labor, the harsh yet frivolous upbringing that has left Vanya a terrified emotional baby.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
But most of my friends grimace and then, after a rueful joke, move on to other topics.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
The book also has a complicated, somewhat rueful take on race.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Baker clearly respects and admires Ani, and looks with rueful empathy at the severe orders and fearsome threats under which the three tough guys labor, the harsh yet frivolous upbringing that has left Vanya a terrified emotional baby.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
But most of my friends grimace and then, after a rueful joke, move on to other topics.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
The book also has a complicated, somewhat rueful take on race.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rueful
Adjective
-
The band played somber hymns marking Good Friday, a mournful day during Holy Week.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s not to say that Liverpool supporters spent that moment feeling sorry for themselves.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2025
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That’s not gonna happen with Chubby Checker, sorry.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Look, everyone points to injuries as the reason for the pitiful performance so far this season, but a lot of teams are dealing with injuries.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2025
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So many of the latter comes thanks to Niecy Nash’s Nurse DiDi, who seems to take the time to see her patients as worthwhile much more often than her cohorts, the self-important Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf) and pitiful nurse Dawn (Alex Borstein).—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
-
The people running this organization should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2025
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That’s plain wrong, and the justices ought to be ashamed.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Kenney-Silver delivers a touchingly nuanced performance as Anne, balanced on the fine line between sad as in devastated and sad as in pathetic.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2025
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Marathon needs to be given every possible chance to succeed and making Bungie crunch to fix things and throwing it into the wolves as a fall release (one that’s literally on the same day as Borderlands 4, mind you) would be a pathetic excuse for support.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The recent tragic helicopter crash into the Hudson River, which claimed six lives, has left our city heartbroken and once again grappling with difficult questions about public safety and aviation policy.—
Keith Powers,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2025
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The heartbroken couple spent days looking for Valerie but eventually had to return to their lives in Broken Hill, New South Wales.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Gayle’s attorney, Diane Gonzalez, told McClatchy News that Gayle was remorseful and broke down on the stand when testifying.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
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Eric claims to be remorseful, and makes a big point of it.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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