ruefully

American  

[roo-fuh-lee] / ˈru fə li /

adverb

1. in a mournful or doleful way.

   I found myself sitting ruefully by the side of the road, near a little town in North Carolina, waiting for a tow truck.

2. in a way that suggests repentance or regret.

   He is aware of his own flaws, at times ruefully so.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unruefully
  adverb
• half-ruefully
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of ruefully

rueful ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When you do something in a way that expresses regret, you’re doing it ruefully. If someone asks you about your Saturday night and you smile ruefully in response . . . well . . . you probably made some poor choices. The origin of the word ruefully is a Germanic word that means “repentance.” But over time the word has adopted a slightly humorous tone, so you can go ahead and shake your head ruefully at your friend who has just put his boot on the wrong foot — you feel a little bit sorry for him at the moment. You might grin ruefully when asked about how many pairs of shoes you bought on your trip.

Example Sentences

Ruefully, she noted that, despite having no say over their future, she still bears financial responsibility for the embryos and pays annual “rent” to the clinic where they are stored.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 22, 2019

Ruefully they noted that when he married the same year, Viola and Alfred raised no objection – perhaps because their other daughter-in-law was a teacher.

From The Guardian • Aug. 23, 2014

Ruefully, she adds a personal coda: "I realised the scandal I was creating around me."

From The Guardian • Jun. 13, 2014

Ruefully he has admitted to himself that Georgetown gossip can affect his leadership.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ruefully I considered that the truths I sought had died with him, and the only other person who could shed fight on these questions, Hamlet, was himself a mystery.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein