ruefully
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.
in a way that suggests repentance or regret:He is aware of his own flaws, at times ruefully so.
Origin of ruefully
1Other words from ruefully
- half-rue·ful·ly, adverb
- un·rue·ful·ly, adverb
Words Nearby ruefully
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use ruefully in a sentence
She smiled ruefully and said her brother was too skinny to fight.
Perhaps that name should not be felt so ruefully today, despite the reversion to authoritarian control in Egypt.
And yet, Norton says ruefully, “You know the old expression: ‘Wherever I went, there I was.’ ”
Somewhere, a no-longer-in-the-league Tebow is ruefully nodding.
Don’t Cry for Johnny Football. The NFL’s 22nd Pick Will Do Just Fine. | Ben Teitelbaum | May 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAt the climax of the play, Willy Loman ruefully tells his two sons that he was fired that day from his job.
From Katrina to the Clink: Ex New Orleans Mayor Heads to Prison | Jason Berry | February 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
She owes money to a lot of people, she says smiling ruefully.
ruefully Aristide found no answers save in the general chuckle-headedness of mankind.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. Lockeruefully Aristide asked himself the question: why had the Mayor not taken him into the confidence of his masquerading escapade?
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeAristide looking at the remainder rather ruefully made a great resolution.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeDane glanced at Winston somewhat ruefully, but the latter's eyes were fixed on Colonel Barrington.
Winston of the Prairie | Harold BindlossSomebody had scuffed his right shoe in getting out and now he pulled up the pant leg of his dark grey suit to study it ruefully.
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