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rueful

[roo-fuhl] / ˈru fəl /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"In one day," he says, with a rueful smile.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

“It was,” Duffy said with a rueful laugh.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

It’s one of many smart, rueful asides in what amounts to a nonjudgmental cinematic essay on the increasingly atomized nature of contemporary living.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

While he enjoys the craftmanship, he admits with a rueful smile that he has still not learned to play the piano himself.

From BBC • Aug. 25, 2025

“I’d just as soon you did,” he said with a rueful smile.

From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie




Vocabulary lists containing rueful


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