How to pronounce rueful
Say it like ROO-ful. Rueful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rueful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROO
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rueful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of rueful
American and British speakers say rueful in essentially the same way: /ˈrufəl/ in the US and /ˈruːfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: ROO-ful.
What does rueful mean?
- Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way.
- Inspiring pity or compassion.
- Bad; woeful; deplorable.
Where does rueful come from?
From Middle English ruful, rewful.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying rueful
How do you pronounce rueful?
Say ROO-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈrufəl/. In British English it is /ˈruːfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rueful?
Rueful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROO). Broken into parts: ROO · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say rueful the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrufəl/ and the British form is /ˈruːfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.