rueful

• When it was finally belching smoke to his satisfaction, he looked at me, and in his eye was what I can only describe as a rueful twinkle. —  The Beekeeper’s Apprentice - Laurie R. King - Russell-Holmes 01
• You heard what Shensu said, and how proud he was of the way the admiral marshaled all available defenses Benden cocked his head, his expression rueful. —  The Chronicles Of Pern: First Fall
• He would look at first perplexed for a fleeting second and then rueful, as if he were amazed at how long the memory of simple physical routines endured even after they were no longer possible. —  The Hard Way by Lee Child
• On one hand we behold the richest cultivation of the most varied and extensive genius; the confidence of courage, the sedateness of wisdom, the stateliness of integrity; on the other, coarse manners, rude language, violent passions continually exploding, a bottomless void on the side of truth, and a rueful waste on that of common honesty.... So many pernicious faults were not committed by Xerxes or Darius, whom ancient historians call feeble princes, as were committed by Napoleon, whom the modern do not call feeble, because he felt nothing for others, coerced pertinaciously, promised rashly, gave indiscriminately, looked tranquilly, and spoke mysteriously. —  The Best of the World's Classics, Vol. V (of X) - Great Britain and Ireland III
• She shook her head, her expression rueful. —  The Alembic Plot A Terran Empire novel

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