ruefully

[roo-fuh-lee]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

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.

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Other Word Forms

half-ruefully adverb
unruefully adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ruefully¹

rueful ( def. ) + -ly

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The former chief technology officer speaks ruefully about his long career trying to bring a revolutionary aerospace engine to fruition at UK firm Reaction Engines.

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Yet Shetty ruefully acknowledges that climate change has put a damper on that last part of his hometown’s legacy.

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But as he noted ruefully in a valedictory speech last month, Americans may recognize the full benefits of those laws only once he’s out of office.

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"This is a full stop," she says ruefully.

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When venerable department store chain Robinsons-May shut down, one of my bosses ruefully quipped, “Well, there goes another 100 newsroom jobs.”

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rueful Rufen

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