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
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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
Yet as the film wends its way through the narrow streets, harbors and glittering waters of Spain’s salty Galician coastline, immersing itself in chaotic gatherings of family and community, the title’s spiritual aspect takes on a rueful irony.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 May 2025
The designer laughed, shook her head with a little rueful humor.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Solar Power’s acoustic shampoo-commercial pop signified a degree of freedom from the usual rueful, bookish synth-pop grind.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Dumont’s spirit of derision imbues his allegory with outrageous humor and rueful melancholy.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 May 2025
The designer laughed, shook her head with a little rueful humor.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Solar Power’s acoustic shampoo-commercial pop signified a degree of freedom from the usual rueful, bookish synth-pop grind.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Dumont’s spirit of derision imbues his allegory with outrageous humor and rueful melancholy.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rueful
Adjective
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Once abundant on the island, this ground-foraging dove – with an earthy red-brown plumage and a quiet, mournful call – disappeared from the wild by 1972.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
-
Several of her patients left mournful messages on the Yelp page of her Arcadia practice.—
Clara Harter
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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That, dear reader, is the sorry state of login security today.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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For travelers who’d rather be safe than sorry, here’s how to check for bed bugs and how to avoid bringing them home.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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And at times, in certain places and situations, it was expected and welcome—on a long walk, or when a person confessed something pitiful, or at a funeral or a party.—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
-
This could have been a sad or pitiful moment; instead, it was suffused with warmth.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 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
-
Riri’s too ashamed of all the crime she’s enabled since her visit to Wakanda to reach out to her mentor.—
Stacia Brown,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
-
The Trump administration's level of sheer corruption is appalling and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
The double talk that is presented by both Republicans and Democrats alike is pathetic.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 July 2025
-
Tehran's retaliation has, so far, been pathetic: a few missiles lobbed at an empty US base, complete with a heads-up.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Raymond Cheadle, Honesty’s great-uncle, told WUSA the family, including the girl’s dad, is heartbroken.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
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Pepe has the power to make two heartbroken Islanders immediately forget about their old connections.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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The legendary actor and Jaws star issued a remorseful statement on Friday, explaining why fans wouldn't be able to catch him at the annual event held this year on Saturday and Sunday at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo in Tampa.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
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Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss shared a remorseful video message over the weekend, revealing he had been hospitalized with viral bronchitis and would have to cancel his appearance at fan event SharkCon.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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