rue

¹ American  

[roo] / ru /

verb (used with object)

rued, ruing

1. to feel sorrow over; repent of; regret bitterly.

   to rue the loss of opportunities.

2. to wish that (something) had never been done, taken place, etc..

   I rue the day he was born.

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verb (used without object)

rued, ruing

1. to feel sorrow, repentance, or regret.

noun

1. sorrow; repentance; regret.

2. pity or compassion.

rue ² American  

[roo] / ru /

noun

1. any strongly scented plant of the genus Ruta, especially R. graveolens, having yellow flowers and leaves formerly used in medicine.

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rue ¹ British  

/ ruː /

verb

1. to feel sorrow, remorse, or regret for (one's own wrongdoing, past events with unpleasant consequences, etc)

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noun

1. archaic sorrow, pity, or regret

rue ² British  

/ ruː /

noun

1. Archaic name: herb of grace.  any rutaceous plant of the genus Ruta , esp R. graveolens , an aromatic Eurasian shrub with small yellow flowers and evergreen leaves which yield an acrid volatile oil, formerly used medicinally as a narcotic and stimulant Compare goat's-rue meadow rue wall rue

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Other Word Forms

• ruer noun
• unrued adjective

Etymology

Origin of rue¹

before 900; (v.) Middle English ruen, rewen, Old English hrēowan; cognate with Dutch rouwen, German reuen; (noun) Middle English rewe, reowe, Old English hrēow; cognate with Dutch rouw, German Reue; ruth

Origin of rue²

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin rūta < Greek rhȳtḗ

Explanation

To rue is to feel regret or remorse for something. If that position at the deli ended up involving a reality TV show that made everyone famous, you may rue the day you turned down the job. Rue comes from the Old English word hreowan, meaning "to make sorry," and rue can still sum up a lot of sorrow in one small syllable. Shakespeare made the word famous in phrases like "rue the hour" and "rue the time," meaning you bitterly regret a moment, but did not use the exact phrase "rue the day" which actually occurs in Christopher Marlowe's play Tamburlaine the Great. Another common meaning of rue refers to a strong-scented herb often used for medicinal purposes back in the day. A lot of written works make puns where the plant alludes to sorrow and pain.

Example Sentences

This decision will find an echo in “King Lear”; Lear, too, cites his age when giving the power to rule his kingdom to his daughters, and both characters live to rue their choices.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Up ahead, Schauffele set the clubhouse target at 11 under, while MacIntyre was left to rue an errant shot on the 16th.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

But the Scot was left to rue several unforced errors, which allowed the world number two to pinch the second frame and settle into the match.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2026

The consumables that linger untouched, slowly dying in the fridge or pantry, leaving you to rue your choices like some sad, spoiled culinary ghost.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

At the intersection with the rue d’Estrees, she turns not left, toward home, but right.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr