Need another word that means the same as “rueful”? Find 12 synonyms and 30 related words for “rueful” in this overview.
The synonyms of “Rueful” are: contrite, remorseful, ruthful, sorrowful, regretful, apologetic, sorry, shamefaced, sheepish, hangdog, repentant, penitent
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “rueful” as an adjective can have the following definitions:
apologetic | Expressing or showing regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure. An apologetic note. |
contrite | Feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses. A contrite tone. |
hangdog | Frightened into submission or compliance. The hangdog look of a condemned man. |
penitent | Feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds. A penitent expression. |
regretful | Feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone. Regretful over mistakes she had made. |
remorseful | Feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses. The defendant was remorseful for what he had done. |
repentant | Expressing or feeling sincere regret and remorse; remorseful. He is truly repentant for his incredible naivety and stupidity. |
ruthful | Full of compassion or pity; compassionate; merciful. Also as noun (with the with plural agreement): those people who are compassionate or merciful. |
shamefaced | Showing a sense of guilt- Eric Linklater. Cheerfully bearing reproaches but shamefaced at praise. |
sheepish | Like or suggestive of a sheep in docility or stupidity or meekness or timidity. A sheepish grin. |
sorrowful | Feeling or showing grief. A sorrowful tale of death and despair. |
sorry | Feeling regret or penitence. I felt sorry for the poor boys working for him. |
apologetic | Constituting a formal defence or justification of a theory or doctrine. She was very apologetic about the whole incident. |
apologize | Acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing. We apologize to him for our error. |
atonement | The act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity. He submitted his resignation as an act of atonement. |
bemoan | Express discontent or sorrow over (something. It was no use bemoaning her lot. |
compunction | A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad. They used their tanks without compunction. |
confess | Confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed usually under pressure. I damaged your car she confessed. |
confession | The religious body or Church sharing a confession of faith. She still had not been to confession. |
confessor | A priest who hears confessions and gives absolution and spiritual counsel. If one prisoner confesses and implicates the other the confessor will go free as a reward. |
contrite | Feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses. A contrite tone. |
contrition | The state of feeling remorseful and penitent. Prayers of contrition. |
culprit | A person who is responsible for a crime or other misdeed. The car s front nearside door had been smashed in but the culprits had fled. |
forgive | Stop blaming or grant forgiveness. I was willing to forgive all her faults for the sake of our friendship. |
penance | Impose a penance on. He had done public penance for those hasty words. |
penitence | Remorse for your past conduct. A public display of penitence. |
penitent | Feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds. A penitent expression. |
penitential | Relating to or expressing penitence or penance. Wrote a penitential letter apologizing for her hasty words. |
regret | Express with regret. I always regretted that I never trained. |
regretful | Feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone. Felt regretful over his vanished youth. |
regretfully | With regret (used in polite formulas. He sighed regretfully. |
remorse | A feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed. They were filled with remorse and shame. |
remorseful | Feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses. The defendant was remorseful for what he had done. |
repent | Turn away from sin or do penitence. He repented of his action. |
repentance | The action of repenting; sincere regret or remorse. Each person who turns to God in genuine repentance and faith will be saved. |
repentant | Expressing or feeling sincere regret and remorse; remorseful. He is truly repentant for his incredible naivety and stupidity. |
rue | Bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen) and wish it undone. Tears of pitying rue. |
sceptic | A person who doubts the truth of Christianity and other religions; an atheist. |
scruple | Raise scruples. He lied and did not even scruple about it. |
sin | Commit a sin violate a law of God or a moral law. The human capacity for sin. |
sinner | A person who sins (without repenting. God forgives repentant sinners. |
sorry | Feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone. A sorry excuse. |
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