lamentation

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noun lam·en·ta·tion \ ˌla-mən-ˈtā-shən \

Definition of lamentation

: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

See lamentation defined for English-language learners

Examples of lamentation in a Sentence

bitter lamentations for the dead
words spoken in lamentation for the dead

Recent Examples of lamentation from the Web

Peak lamentation came from Mosul’s older diaspora, some of whom had left Iraq in the 1970s.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "A bird’s-eye view of the ruins of Mosul," 20 July 2017
This month’s picks include looks at how the vast economic divide between blacks and whites was spurred by property policy; a peak inside a building that houses Washington D.C.’s past, present, and future; and a lamentation for the electric guitar.

— gillian b. white, The Atlantic, "The Best Business Reads of June," 3 July 2017
Jews read from the Book of Lamentations and reflect on the work ahead to fulfill the vision of hope and promise the Torah provides.

— Courant Community, "Community News for the West Hartford Edition," 3 July 2017
Jews read from the Book of Lamentations and reflect on the work ahead to fulfill the vision of hope and promise the Torah provides.

— Courant Community, "Community News for the West Hartford Edition," 27 June 2017
To peruse issues of The Post from the 1900s to the 1950s is to see near-constant lamentation that there just weren’t enough places to swim.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "Answer Man wades back into the history of area beaches and bathing beauties," 3 June 2017
And when Ophelia (a mostly very sane-seeming Sheila Vand) goes mad, her lamentations are also in Persian.

— ben brantley, New York Times, "A ‘Hamlet’ Poised Between Cultures (and Languages)," 22 May 2017
This is a book of lamentations — the last, half-hearted clause in the subtitle stands in for a last, half-hearted chapter full of solutions.

— justin davidson, Daily Intelligencer, "Richard Florida, Famous for His Optimism About Cities, Is Now an Urban Pessimist," 7 May 2017
In keeping with the conceit established in the intro, the album ends with the theme of repentance and redemption like the closing verse of Lamentations.

— irvin weathersby, Esquire, "The Book of Kendrick: How DAMN. Transcends Religious Symbolism in Hip-Hop," 20 Apr. 2017

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

First Known Use of lamentation

14th century

lamentation Synonyms

Synonyms

groan, howl, keen, lament, moan, plaint, wail

Antonyms

exultation, rejoicing

Related Words

cry, sob, tears; agonizing, grieving, mourning, sorrowing, suffering, weeping; hand-wringing, regret; complaint, cri de coeur, outcry, protest; anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, sorrow, woe

Near Antonyms

cheering, laughing, smiling

LAMENTATION Defined for English Language Learners

lamentation

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noun

Definition of lamentation for English Language Learners

: an expression of great sorrow or deep sadness

LAMENTATION Defined for Kids

lamentation

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noun lam·en·ta·tion \ ˌla-mən-ˈtā-shən \

Definition of lamentation for Students

1 :great sorrow

2 :an expression of great sorrow

Mourners uttered lamentations.

Learn More about lamentation

See words that rhyme with lamentation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lamentation Spanish Central: Translation of lamentation Nglish: Translation of lamentation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lamentation for Arabic speakers

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lamentation

Definition of lamentation

From the M-W Editors

Examples of lamentation in a Sentence

Recent Examples of lamentation from the Web

First Known Use of lamentation

lamentation Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

LAMENTATION Defined for English Language Learners

lamentation

Definition of lamentation for English Language Learners

LAMENTATION Defined for Kids

lamentation

Definition of lamentation for Students

Learn More about lamentation

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