ruefully

American  

[roo-fuh-lee] / ˈru fə li /

adverb

1. 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.

2. 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

Etymology

Origin of ruefully

rueful ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

I startle at the sound of a voice, and then squint into darkness to make out a neighbor leaning out her front door, drying her hands on a dish towel and smiling ruefully in apology.

From Literature

He shook his head ruefully and held up a hand.

From Literature

"The way things are going, I'm going to have to find a job just to feed her," he said ruefully, handing Mary Lou the last of his allowance.

From Literature

“A lot of people are assuming that this is a large company where they can get customer support,” he said ruefully.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Let's hope maybe next year will be a better year for me," Sabalenka said ruefully.

From Barron's