ruth
7 synonyms for ruth, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A deep feeling of pity or compassion for someone else's suffering (now old-fashioned).
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
From Middle English reuthe, related to the verb "rue" (to regret) — the noun form survives today mainly in its negative, "ruthless."
Full origin of ruth →Frequently asked questions
What does “ruth” mean?
The word “ruth” means a deep feeling of pity or compassion for someone else's suffering (now old-fashioned). In plain terms, an old word for pity or compassion — rarely used on its own today, but everyone knows its opposite, "ruthless.".
How do you pronounce “ruth”?
“Ruth” is pronounced rooth (/ɹuθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “ruth” in a sentence?
Here is “ruth” used in a sentence: “The old poem spoke of ruth for the fallen soldiers.”
What part of speech is “ruth”?
“Ruth” is a noun.
Where does the word “ruth” come from?
The word “ruth” comes from Middle English. From Middle English reuthe, related to the verb "rue" (to regret) — the noun form survives today mainly in its negative, "ruthless.".
Is “ruth” a common word?
“Ruth” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the connection between ruth and ruthless?
Ruthless literally means "without ruth" — without pity or compassion. The noun ruth has almost disappeared from everyday English, but it survives inside ruthless, which remains a common word.
Is the word ruth still used in modern English?
Rarely. Ruth, meaning deep pity or compassion for someone else's suffering, is now old-fashioned and appears mainly in literary or historical writing, while its negative counterpart ruthless is used all the time.
Is the word ruth related to the name Ruth?
No. The common noun ruth was formed in English from the verb rue, meaning to feel sorrow or regret, plus the ending -th (as in true/truth). The given name Ruth comes from Hebrew and reached English through the Bible, so the match in spelling is coincidence.
