Adjective : a rueful plight. ,the rueful look on her face.    From Dictionary.com. 

She tried to keep the ruefulness out of her voice.    From Wordnik.com.  [365 tomorrows » 2010 » March : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day] Reference

He owned the lure, at last, with a bitter ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Fortieth Door] Reference

POUL ANDERSON In Kenmuir, chagrin faded to ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Stars Are Also Fire]

He turned a face of disarming boyish ruefulness on her.    From Wordnik.com.  [The High Crusade]

"Old age!" he said, with a smile of half-mock ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [White Ashes] Reference

A look of both ruefulness and interest appears on his face.    From Wordnik.com.  [Scion of Cyador]

Mrs. Forrest bowed her head with a kind of mocking ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [Unnatural Death]

The way Ward balances ruefulness and hope is singularly impressive.    From Wordnik.com.  [Love Stories in This Town: Summary and book reviews of Love Stories in This Town by Amanda Eyre Ward.] Reference

I had kept any ruefulness or satire out of my tone, which was just as well.    From Wordnik.com.  [A Body In The Bath House]

"I'm a man of many failings," McCain says with a genuine, if practiced, ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [What These Eyes Have Seen] Reference

“I can just remember being like that,” she said with a ruefulness which was delightful.    From Wordnik.com.  [More Work for the Undertaker]

They had not made love last night—and Alice had blamed herself with a particular ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [Here Comes Another Lesson] Reference

Pickle, that be could not, with all his endeavours, vanquish the ruefulness of his countenance.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle] Reference

Without opening it, and with a strange mixture of embarrassment and ruefulness in his expression.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Lady of the Ice A Novel] Reference

“If I could I would oblige you; but I fear I cannot!” she replied, with illogical ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Woodlanders] Reference

Drew straightly, but there was a ruefulness rather than hostile defiance in his voice as he asked.    From Wordnik.com.  [Ride Proud, Rebel!] Reference

Once more the lad laughed, this time with comic ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [Walter and the Wireless] Reference

The man's little smile intensified the ruefulness of his expression.    From Wordnik.com.  [NPR Topics: News]

'I hope,' said Mr. Bumble, looking about him with great ruefulness, as.    From Wordnik.com.  [Oliver Twist] Reference

"No," said Annette, as the ruefulness of her face relaxed into a smile.    From Wordnik.com.  [Trial and Triumph] Reference

Of ruefulness that winning was borne of what was the worst tragedy in my life.    From Wordnik.com.  [Telegraph.co.uk: news, business, sport, the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunday Telegraph] Reference

"They will all laugh at me," sighed the subdued Annie, with comical ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [A Houseful of Girls] Reference

A smile of enforced ruefulness, like a leaf curling in heat, wrinkled his mouth.    From Wordnik.com.  [Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith] Reference

Its pinkness had returned and its expression suggested a kind of boyish ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [Final Curtain]

Amid the special respect could be detected a certain ruefulness over his departure.    From Wordnik.com.  [Telegraph.co.uk: news, business, sport, the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunday Telegraph] Reference

He had been too sanguine not to do it with some ruefulness after the first few months.    From Wordnik.com.  [In Connection with the De Willoughby Claim] Reference

"Or than me either, I'm afraid," he added, with a ruefulness that was not ill-tempered.    From Wordnik.com.  [Tristram of Blent An Episode in the Story of an Ancient House] Reference

He looked off at the very bright star in the west and smiled with whimsical ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Desert Fiddler] Reference

His voice is unmistakable, combining ruefulness with a self-deprecating sense of humor.    From Wordnik.com.  [Louis Proyect: The Unrepentant Marxist] Reference

Then she gave a tug to the child's coat, glancing at her up and down with some ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [What Maisie Knew] Reference

"If I could I would oblige you; but I fear I cannot!" she replied, with illogical ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Woodlanders] Reference

A comic ruefulness -- 'Holt should be a happy man.'.    From Wordnik.com.  [Cruel Barbara Allen From Coals Of Fire And Other Stories, Volume II. (of III.)] Reference

All, in fact, is ruefulness here.    From Wordnik.com.  ['Merchant of Venice': Al Pacino's Shylock is a moving take on an immovable man] Reference

Suddenly, ruefulness replaced fury.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Path of Daggers]

In Kenmuir, chagrin faded to ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Stars Are Also Fire]

She shook her head with mock ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [Chapter 20] Reference

A sense of ruefulness accompanied the words.    From Wordnik.com.  [Darkness]

Lyon exclaimed, with exaggerated ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [A London Life and Other Tales] Reference

Stuart smiled, though with a taint of ruefulness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Tyranny of Weakness] Reference