Penitent
Penitent adjective - Feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done.
Usage example: a penitent gossip who had come to ask for forgiveness
Rueful is a synonym for penitent in repentant topic. In some cases you can use "Rueful" instead an adjective "Penitent", when it comes to topics like shamed. popular alternative
Rueful
Rueful adjective - Feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done.
Usage example: a rueful youth who had come to ask for forgiveness for online bullying
Penitent is a synonym for rueful in sorrowful topic. You can use "Penitent" instead an adjective "Rueful", if it concerns topics such as regretful. popular alternative
Nearby Words: ruefulness, ruefully
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Rueful and Penitent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 29, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/penitent/rueful
Penitent & Rueful. N.p., 2016. Web. 29 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/penitent/rueful>.
Rueful or Penitent. 2016. Accessed July 29, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/penitent/rueful.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "penitent" and "rueful" have occurred on timeline