bemoan

verb

be·​moan bi-ˈmōn 

bē-

bemoaned; bemoaning; bemoans

transitive verb

1

: to express deep grief or distress over

bemoan the death of their leader

2

: to regard with displeasure, disapproval, or regret

bemoaning the lack of civility in modern political discourse

Synonyms of bemoan

• mourn
• lament
• regret

Choose the Right Synonym for bemoan

deplore, lament, bewail, bemoan mean to express grief or sorrow for something.

deplore implies regret for the loss or impairment of something of value.

deplores the breakdown in family values

lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

bewail and bemoan imply sorrow, disappointment, or protest finding outlet in words or cries, bewail commonly suggesting loudness, and bemoan lugubriousness.

fans bewailed the defeat

purists bemoaning the corruption of the language

Examples of bemoan in a Sentence

He bemoans the fact that the team lost again.

an article bemoaning the decline in voter turnout

Some critics are always bemoaning the state of the language.

Recent Examples on the Web

At the Applebutter Inn, a brick farmhouse that dates to 1844, the owner bemoaned that Canadian snowbirds, once a mainstay, had stopped visiting since the president threatened to send the Marines across Niagara Falls. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Lord knows how many years of a college football fan’s life have been spent bemoaning whatever system was in place that year to determine the national champion. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 23 June 2026

This was after central Europeans were already loudly bemoaning the advance of muskrats into the vast Danube watershed. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 June 2026

Knicks head coach Mike Brown bemoaned the officiating — a refrain shared by many of the team’s fans, including Mayor Mamdani. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bemoan

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone
• dethrone

Kids Definition

bemoan

verb

be·​moan bi-ˈmōn 

: to express grief over