ruefulness
Wistful, sorrowful feeling
Ruefulness is a quality of sorrowful regret, often tinged with wry acceptance.
Someone with a rueful smile acknowledges a mistake or misfortune without bitterness: He spoke of his failed marriage with a certain ruefulness.
The word suggests gentle self-reproach rather than deep anguish—regret worn lightly.
Guilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- compunctionUneasiness from guilt
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
- chagrinDistress from wounded pride
disappointment · hindsight · second-guessing · apology · acknowledgment · atonement · amends · guilt
Deep emotional distress
- sadnessState of emotional pain
- mournfulnessQuality of deep grief
- woefulnessCondition of deep sorrow
- plaintivenessSorrowful, yearning quality
heaviness · doleful · forlorn · somber · gloom · despondency · heartache · tristesse
Longing for the past
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- bittersweetWistful yet warm
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
sentimental · pining · homesick · poignant · wistfulness · reflective · sigh · daydream
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- compunctionUneasiness from guilt
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
chagrin · disappointment · hindsight · second-guessing · apology · acknowledgment · atonement · amends · guilt · shame
sorrow
Deep emotional distress
- sadnessState of emotional pain
- mournfulnessQuality of deep grief
- woefulnessCondition of deep sorrow
plaintiveness · heaviness · doleful · forlorn · somber · gloom · despondency · heartache · tristesse · dejection
nostalgia
Longing for the past
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- bittersweetWistful yet warm
reminiscence · sentimental · pining · homesick · poignant · wistfulness · reflective · sigh · daydream · bygone
- guiltguilty, guilt trip, guilty conscience, contrition, remorse
- mopingbrooding, sulking, wallowing, pouting, sighing
ruefulnessshamelessness
Absence of moral embarrassment
unrepentance · impenitence · remorselessness · brazenness · defiance
ruefulnesscheerfulness
State of bright spirits
elation · joy · gaiety · buoyancy · lightheartedness
ruefulnesscontentedness
State of peaceful fulfillment
satisfaction · contentment · self-satisfaction · complacency · gratification
regretful, rue, remorseful, rueful, repentant, penitent, repentance, penitence, regretfully