ruefully
Americanadverb
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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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ruefully
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.
Vocabulary lists containing ruefully
The Outsiders
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Lord of the Flies
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“A lot of people are assuming that this is a large company where they can get customer support,” he said ruefully.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026
"Let's hope maybe next year will be a better year for me," Sabalenka said ruefully.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
This last comment came from a fellow traveler, ruefully disclosing an act of self-defense many years ago.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025
As he stands in the rain, Mr Colton adds ruefully: "My gran thinks I'm mad."
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025
Adam said ruefully, “So we’re going to buy more land so we can do more work.”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
