ruefully
In sorrowful retrospect
Ruefully means with regret, sorrow, or wry self-reproach.
Someone who smiles ruefully acknowledges their own mistake or misfortune with a touch of resigned humor: He ruefully admitted he'd been wrong.
She looked ruefully at the dent in her car.
The word carries a gentle, reflective quality rather than bitter regret.
With longing for past
- wistfullyWith pensive longing
- pensivelyIn a reflective manner
- reflectivelyWith deep thought
- melancholicallyIn a sorrowful way
bittersweet · longingly · yearningly · sighingly · sentimentally · reminiscently · mournfully · plaintively
In a self-conscious way
- self-mockinglyWith humor targeting oneself
- wrylyWith dry humor
- ironicallyWith opposite meaning intended
- deprecatinglyIn a self-belittling way
embarrassedly · resignedly · good-naturedly · laughingly · self-consciously · knowingly · self-effacingly
With guilt and regret
- sheepishlyIn a self-conscious way
- guiltilyIn a self-blaming manner
- shamefacedlyIn an embarrassed manner
- abashedlyIn an embarrassed manner
chagrined · with regret · in hindsight · conscience-stricken · heavy-heartedly
nostalgically
With longing for past
- wistfullyWith pensive longing
- pensivelyIn a reflective manner
- reflectivelyWith deep thought
melancholically · bittersweet · longingly · yearningly · sighingly · sentimentally · reminiscently · mournfully · plaintively · contemplatively
sheepishly
In a self-conscious way
- self-mockinglyWith humor targeting oneself
- wrylyWith dry humor
- ironicallyWith opposite meaning intended
deprecatingly · embarrassedly · resignedly · good-naturedly · laughingly · self-consciously · knowingly · self-effacingly
contritely
With guilt and regret
- sheepishlyIn a self-conscious way
- guiltilyIn a self-blaming manner
- shamefacedlyIn an embarrassed manner
abashedly · chagrined · with regret · in hindsight · conscience-stricken · heavy-heartedly
ruefullyhappily
In a joyful manner
joyfully · cheerfully · gladly · gleefully · joyously
ruefullytriumphantly
In victorious manner
proudly · contentedly · boastfully · victoriously · exultantly
ruefullyindifferently
Without preference or concern
nonchalantly · unconcernedly · stoically · impassively · dispassionately