rueful

English

Alternative forms

• ruefull (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English ruful, rewful; equivalent to rue +‎ -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹuːfl̩/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

rueful (comparative more rueful, superlative most rueful)

1. Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way.

   Synonyms: deplorable, pitiful; see also Thesaurus:lamentable

   • 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:

     Merely, he received it with the rueful indulgence that he would show towards Tom when he came through with one of his solutions for ending world poverty or the arms race.

2. Inspiring pity or compassion.

   Synonyms: pathetic, pitiable, pitiful, pitisome

3. Bad; woeful; deplorable.

   Synonyms: unfavorable, negative; see also Thesaurus:bad

Derived terms

• ruefully
• ruefulness

Related terms

• rue

Translations

causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow

• Bulgarian: печален (bg) (pečalen), плачевен (bg) (plačeven)
• Finnish: kaduttava (fi), katuva (fi), katuvainen
• German: reuig (de), reumütig (de)
• Maori: āwhitu, kōhau, ngetengete
• Plautdietsch: leet (nds)
• Portuguese: recalcado
• Russian: гру́стный (ru) (grústnyj), печа́льный (ru) (pečálʹnyj), уны́лый (ru) (unýlyj)

inspiring pity or compassion

• Dutch: meelijwekkend (nl)
• Finnish: surkea (fi), säälittävä (fi)
• Georgian: საწყალი (sac̣q̇ali), საცოდავი (sacodavi)
• German: kläglich (de)
• Maori: whakaaroha
• Russian: жа́лкий (ru) (žálkij), несча́стный (ru) (nesčástnyj)
• Spanish: sentir lastima o compasion