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

• 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

That caused Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green to bemoan the state of free agency on Monday night. —Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025

Most articles and books prioritized reconciliation and bemoaned bereaved parents: Why would someone dare abandon their family? —Anesce Dremen, Longreads, 3 July 2025

Conversations shifted from celebrating the end of lockdowns to bemoaning lackluster consumption. —Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 2 July 2025

There’s a trio of conservative members — Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) — who have bemoaned the lack of spending cuts in the massive package. —Al Weaver, The Hill, 28 June 2025

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