1

lament

verb la·ment \ lə-ˈment \

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: lament in a Sentence

Definition of lament

lamented; lamenting; laments

intransitive verb

: to mourn aloud : wail

nightingales lament without ceasing
—L. P. Smith

transitive verb

1 : to express sorrow, mourning, or regret for often demonstratively : mourn

… must regret the imprudence, lament the result …
—Jane Austen

2 : to regret strongly

He lamented his decision not to go to college.

See lament defined for English-language learners

See lament defined for kids

Examples of lament in a Sentence

She lamented over the loss of her best friend.
“I've lost my best friend!” she lamented.

Recent Examples of lament from the Web

Trump senior told Larry King, lamenting the situation.

— julia ioffe, GQ, "The Real Story of Donald Trump Jr.," 21 June 2018
Head coach Anthony Lynn even recently lamented to The MMQB’s Albert Breer that someone had told him the Chargers had the second-most talented roster in the league.

— andy benoit, SI.com, "Chargers Are Ready to Claim Their Piece of the Los Angeles Sports Market," 20 June 2018
Dad also volubly lamented the tragedies of Native Americans.

— Longreads, "The Cold War and its Fallout," 16 June 2018
Abramson lamented the state Department of Transportation’s decision not to continue use of logos and graphics reminiscent of the New Haven, which was the dominant railroad in Connecticut until its 1969 merger into the Penn Central Railroad.

— mikaela porter, courant.com, "Thousands Turn Out For Hartford Line's Inaugural Ride," 16 June 2018
Afterward Oak Creek coach Jeff Trask lamented his team's defensive lapses and missed opportunities.

— mark stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Slinger gets last word in back-and-forth affair with Oak Creek in D1 state quarterfinals," 7 June 2018
Though Trump has repeatedly lamented the U.S. trade deficit with China and threatened to impose tariffs on imports of Chinese goods, Galindo said trade with China presents an opportunity for Kansas City companies.

— allison kite, kansascity, "How UMKC students are bringing Chinese investment to KC through Enactus," 6 June 2018
But some would lament that hype ultimately is what drives customers into its stores, and hype that lead the CFDA to give the brand this award.

— emilia petrarca, The Cut, "Of Course Supreme Won the Highest Honor for American Menswear," 5 June 2018
Duncan also lamented the scarce local media coverage Dr. Winfrey has received compared to Hagan, who was crowned Miss America in 2013.

— refinery29.com, "Black Women Are Running In Record Numbers — But Are They Getting The Support They Need?," 4 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lament.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lament

Middle English lementen, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French lamenter, from Latin lamentari, from lamentum, noun, lament

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

lament Synonyms

Synonyms

bemoan, bewail, deplore, grieve (for), mourn, wail (for);

Antonyms

delight, exult (in), glory (in), joy, rejoice (in);

Near Antonyms

beam, cheer, grin, laugh, smile;

Related Words

cry (for), keen, moan, weep;

bawl, blubber, sob;

agonize, bleed, hurt, sorrow, suffer;

Synonym Discussion of lament

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

2

lament

noun

Definition of lament

1 : a crying out in grief : wailing

2 : dirge, elegy

3 : complaint

See lament defined for English-language learners

Examples of lament in a Sentence

The poem is a lament for a lost love.
the national lament that was heard when President Kennedy was assassinated

Recent Examples of lament from the Web

It was written at the end of the Spanish Civil War, as a kind of lament.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Augustin Hadelich’s Bold Violin Explorations," 2 Apr. 2018
In Judas Priest’s world, there’s reason to rejoice and reason to lament.

— michael hamad, courant.com, "'Metal Together': Judas Priest Soldiers On With 'Firepower' World Tour," 8 Mar. 2018
This has always struck me as a cause for lament, not celebration.

— rachel syme, The New Republic, "In The Tale, A Painful Reckoning With Abuse," 31 May 2018
Every outdoor lover has a special lament, or favorite spot to worry about.

— dennis wagner, azcentral, "A refuge and memories go up in smoke as another backcountry paradise burns away," 5 May 2018
Payne did, however, lament that party leadership did not adequately support female candidates across Orange County.

— alana abramson, Time, "Democrats Avoided a Nightmare Scenario in California That Could Have Cost Them the House," 6 June 2018
In a way, Ms. Du’s lament is a break with the centuries-old tradition of opera turning agony into beauty.

— corinna da fonseca-wollheim, New York Times, "Past and Present, the Orpheus Myth Makes Us Rethink Music," 20 Apr. 2018
The classic country lament has the feeling of an instant standard, one that could have been sung by Tammy Wynette in the 1960s or Dolly Parton in the 1970s, but which feels uniquely suited to Underwood's recent personal turmoil as well.

— gil kaufman, Billboard, "Carrie Underwood Doesn't Hold Anything Back on Emotional 'Cry Pretty': Listen," 11 Apr. 2018
That is a universal human truth, a lament that has been well-documented throughout mankind's time on this planet.

— alex delany, Bon Appetit, "How to Build a One-Skillet Meal Like It's Your Job," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lament.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lament

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1591

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

lament Synonyms

Synonyms

groan, howl, keen, lamentation, moan, plaint, wail;

Antonyms

exultation, rejoicing;

Near Antonyms

cheering, laughing, smiling;

Related Words

cry, sob, tears;

agonizing, grieving, mourning, sorrowing, suffering, weeping;

hand-wringing, regret;

anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, sorrow, woe;

LAMENT Defined for English Language Learners

lament

verb

Definition of lament for English Language Learners

: to express sorrow, regret, or unhappiness about something

lament

noun

Definition of lament for English Language Learners

: an expression of sorrow; especially : a song or poem that expresses sorrow for someone who has died or something that is gone

LAMENT Defined for Kids

1

lament

verb la·ment \ lə-ˈment \

Definition of lament for Students

lamented; lamenting

1 : to mourn aloud : wail

2 : to express great sorrow or regret for

He lamented the disappearance of his dog.

2

lament

noun

Definition of lament for Students

1 : a crying out in great sorrow

2 : a sad song or poem

Learn More about lament

See words that rhyme with lament Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lament Spanish Central: Translation of lament Nglish: Translation of lament for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lament for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lament

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