ruefully

[roo-fuh-lee]

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.

Other Word Forms

• half-ruefully adverb
• unruefully adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ruefully¹

rueful ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

“I used to take pills for fun,” he says ruefully in “Ozzy: No Escape From Now,” which shows the star at his most fragile.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She, too, counseled frankness regarding price—though she acknowledged, ruefully, that she has encountered sommeliers who judge customers based on how much they want to spend.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And, no doubt, wondering ruefully about what might have been.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"It's not a construction for people like me," Erika – a newspaper layout designer – comments ruefully.

Read more on BBC

"These things do take time," said Seb Greene, smiling ruefully.

Read more on BBC