1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the rueful faces of friends and family who had gathered to pay their last respects
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorry
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
a rueful youth who had come to ask for forgiveness for online bullying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
the rueful, desperate poverty of people in parts of the Third World
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rueful
Solar Power’s acoustic shampoo-commercial pop signified a degree of freedom from the usual rueful, bookish synth-pop grind.
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Dumont’s spirit of derision imbues his allegory with outrageous humor and rueful melancholy.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Perkins’s follow-up, The Monkey—adapted from a short story by Stephen King—is another tonally wild take on the horror genre: arch, gleefully gory, and played for dark, rueful laughs.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2025
On Wednesday, the designers were rueful about stepping down, but looked back on their long New York fashion adventure with fondness.
—Miles Socha, WWD, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Dumont’s spirit of derision imbues his allegory with outrageous humor and rueful melancholy.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Perkins’s follow-up, The Monkey—adapted from a short story by Stephen King—is another tonally wild take on the horror genre: arch, gleefully gory, and played for dark, rueful laughs.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2025
On Wednesday, the designers were rueful about stepping down, but looked back on their long New York fashion adventure with fondness.
—Miles Socha, WWD, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rueful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rueful
Adjective
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Unlike most of his hardcore predecessors, Yates has a knack for mournful melodies, and a voice that may remind some older listeners of Perry Farrell, from Jane’s Addiction.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
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Now comes their follow-up, with a soundalike title, but quite a different mood—more mournful, more anguished, more serious.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Even savvy healthcare consumers – aka patients – will have a hard time reining in healthcare spending in the face of physicians preaching an ethic of better safe than sorry.—
Peter Ubel,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
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There will be no combustion engine on board—sorry, V-8 fans—with all the power required to run the control and motion systems for the foils, the keel and rudder, and the onboard computers and instruments generated autonomously while under sail.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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For example, the 1890s saw the Royal Observatory hire women for the first time, who worked for a pitiful wage as 'computers' to examine and refine observational data.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 June 2025
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There is nothing deficient, unnatural or pitiful about being single, as we’re often led to believe.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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Her advice to others facing this journey is to speak openly, accept support, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
22 June 2025
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City leaders should be ashamed for letting this issue get so out of hand.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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Nevertheless, the squad needs to shift strategies and Sonny is here to take them from pathetic to aggressive.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2025
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Jarvis’ performance is transformative, making Mark both pathetic and feverishly alive, his corrosive remorse seemingly genuine.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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And before long, his pig is stolen, leaving him heartbroken.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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Once the game is over, pink soldiers approach Yong-sik to shoot him and ensure that he’s eliminated, despite Geum-ja’s heartbroken pleas.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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But for once, or maybe twice, Hill seemed genuinely remorseful and reflective this week.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
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Rose gambled on the game, lied about it for years and never seemed truly remorseful.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rueful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rueful. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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