ruefully
Americanadverb
-
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.
“They can’t all be pandas,” she writes ruefully, hoping that her readers will recognize that “crocodiles are thoughtful parents, sharks seek out company, and rats love being tickled.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
"Let's hope maybe next year will be a better year for me," Sabalenka said ruefully.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
At the same time, she can’t help laughing at the irony of a deity who arranges things in such a ruefully comic way.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025
Those now nursing massive losses on Fiserv’s stock may ruefully agree, although the president presumably meant listeners to understand Bisignano as having fixed messes rather than having created them.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2025
If only I had matches, he thought, looking ruefully at the beach and lakeside.
From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen
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.
