RUEFULNESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ruefulness mean? 

• RUEFULNESS (noun)
  The noun RUEFULNESS has 1 sense:

1. sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment

  Familiarity information: RUEFULNESS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RUEFULNESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

regret; rue; ruefulness; sorrow

Context example:

to his rue, the error cost him the game

Hypernyms ("ruefulness" is a kind of...):

sadness; unhappiness (emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ruefulness"):

attrition; contriteness; contrition (sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation)

compunction; remorse; self-reproach (a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed))

Derivation:

rueful (feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses)

 Context examples 

She shook her head with mock ruefulness.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)