Rueful

Pronunciation: /ˈruːfəl/

Definitions of rueful

adjective expressing sorrow or regret in a slightly humorous way

Example Sentences

A1 She gave a rueful smile when she realized she had forgotten her keys.

A2 He looked rueful as he admitted his mistake to his boss.

B1 The team captain wore a rueful expression after losing the game.

B2 Despite his best efforts, he could only offer a rueful apology for the misunderstanding.

C1 The CEO's rueful reflection on the company's past failures led to a new strategic direction.

C2 The artist's rueful contemplation of his early works revealed a deep sense of regret.

Examples of rueful in a Sentence

formal She gave him a rueful smile as she realized her mistake.

informal He let out a rueful chuckle when he saw the mess he had made.

slang I felt pretty rueful after failing my driving test for the third time.

figurative The old man looked at the ruins of his former home with a rueful heart.

Grammatical Forms of rueful

• past tense: ruefulled
• plural: ruefuls
• comparative: more rueful
• superlative: most rueful
• present tense: rue
• future tense: will rue
• perfect tense: have rued
• continuous tense: is ruing
• singular: rueful
• positive degree: rueful
• infinitive: to rue
• gerund: rueing
• participle: rueing

Origin and Evolution of rueful

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'rueful' originated from the Old English word 'rēofol' which meant sorrowful or regretful.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'rueful' has retained its meaning of expressing sorrow or regret, but its usage has expanded to convey a sense of wistfulness or melancholy as well.