Rue is a word with two main uses in English. As a noun, it can mean a bitterHaving a sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling herb in the parsley family. More commonly, it refers to regretA feeling of sadness or disappointment about a past event or sorrow over something. As a verb, it means to feel regret or remorseDeep guilt and sorrow for having done something wrong about something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ru/
Easy pronunciation: ROO (approximate spelling).
Stress: Single-syllable word, so the only syllable is stressed.
Noun meaning regret or sorrow; not the herb or the verb.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Rue Meaning
regret or sorrow
Part of speech: noun
Definition: sadness or regret because of a mistake, loss, or disappointment
Example: To his rue, the error cost him the game.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- regret — A direct substitute for the feeling of sorrow or disappointment.
- sorrow — Works when rue means deep sadness, though it is a bit broader and more emotional.
- ruefulness — A close noun form, but less common in everyday speech.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Rue
Meaning 2
feel sorry about something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
Example: He rued the decision almost immediately.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- regret — The most natural synonym in modern English.
- repent — Fits when the remorse is moral or serious, but it is stronger and less everyday.
Meaning 3
a bitter-smelling herb
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a European herb with strong scent and bitter leaves; also the leaves themselves, sometimes used sparingly for flavoring
Example: The gardener planted rue near the wall.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- herb of grace — A traditional name for the plant.
- ruta graveolens — The scientific name of the plant.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Rue Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- regret
- sorrow
- ruefulness
verb: feel remorse for; feel sorry about
- regret
- repent
noun: the herb and its leaves
- herb of grace
- ruta graveolens
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse rue the noun meaning regret with rue the plant.
- Do not use rue to mean a French street or road in everyday English; that is a French word, not the common English sense.
- Ruefulness is related to rue, but it is not the most natural everyday synonym.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does rue mean?
Rue usually means regret or sorrow about something that happened. It can also refer to a bitter herb, and as a verb it means to feel remorse about something.
What are the synonyms of rue?
For the noun meaning regret, the best synonyms are regret and, more loosely, sorrow. For the verb meaning feel remorse, the best synonym is regret, and repent can also fit in stronger contexts.
Is rue a noun or a verb?
Rue can be both. As a noun, it means regret or sorrow, or the herb. As a verb, it means to feel sorry or remorseful about something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
