Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [roo-fuh l]
- /ˈru fəl/
- /ˈruː.fəl/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [roo-fuh l]
- /ˈru fəl/
Definitions of rueful word
- adjective rueful causing sorrow or pity; pitiable; deplorable: a rueful plight. 1
- adjective rueful feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow or pity; mournful; doleful: the rueful look on her face. 1
- adjective rueful sad, regretful 1
- adjective rueful If someone is rueful, they feel or express regret or sorrow in a quiet and gentle way. 0
- adjective rueful feeling or expressing sorrow or repentance 0
- adjective rueful inspiring sorrow or pity 0
Information block about the term
Origin of rueful
First appearance:
before 1175 One of the 8% oldest English words
First recorded in 1175-1225, rueful is from the Middle English word reowful. See rue1, -ful
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Rueful
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
rueful popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 80% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
rueful usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for rueful
adj rueful
- anguished — Anguished means showing or feeling great mental suffering or physical pain.
- apologetic — If you are apologetic, you show or say that you are sorry for causing trouble for someone, for hurting them, or for disappointing them.
- attritional — a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength: Our club has had a high rate of attrition because so many members have moved away.
- beefing — the flesh of a cow, steer, or bull raised and killed for its meat.
- cast down — If someone is cast down by something, they are sad or worried because of it.
noun rueful
- lamentation — the act of lamenting or expressing grief.
- apologies — a written or spoken expression of one's regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another: He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.
- demur — If you demur, you say that you do not agree with something or will not do something that you have been asked to do.
Top questions with rueful
- what does rueful mean?
- where is the rueful axe?
- what does the word rueful mean?
- what is rueful?
- what is the definition of rueful?
- what is the meaning of rueful?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with r
- Words starting with ru
- Words starting with rue
- Words starting with ruef
- Words starting with ruefu
- Words starting with rueful