lamentation

noun

lam·​en·​ta·​tion ˌla-mən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce lamentation (audio)
: an expression of sorrow, mourning, or regret : an act or instance of lamenting
a song of lamentation
… blending a lamentation over the effects of time with a kind of apologia for it.Glen R. Brown

Examples of lamentation in a Sentence

bitter lamentations for the dead words spoken in lamentation for the dead
Recent Examples on the Web No such resourcefulness is evident in Tesori’s score, which wavers between mid-century film-music heroics and sentimental lamentations, with tame avant-garde gestures popping up here and there. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 There's been endless chatter and discussion and debate and lamentation around it. Kate Bernot, Bon Appétit, 23 Sep. 2024 On the morning of October 7th, Angel collapsed into lamentation. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024 In October of 2023, she was profiled by the New York Times and The Atlantic; both pieces were lamentations of a political figure who was not inclined to do the performance expected of political figures. Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lamentation 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lamentation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lamentation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lamentation

Cite this Entry

“Lamentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lamentation. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

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