as in wail
a crying out in grief
there was a great lamentation on Wall Street when the government's latest unemployment figures were published
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Recent Examples of lamentation
The space was replete with the repetitive knocking of drumsticks, the undulating rhythm of Qur’anic prayers, and the gut-wrenching murmur of lamentation coming from That is not still (Sesuatu yang tidak berdiam), a 2024 video work about Indonesia’s diverse soundscape.
—
Hung Duong, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The language surrounding Bailey echoes sentiments from the 1990s and early 2000s, when public revelations of a celebrity’s homosexuality often triggered exaggerated lamentations from straight female fans.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
The venues shuttered in March 2020, at the onset of COVID, prompting public lamentations from filmmakers ranging from Barry Jenkins and Lulu Wang to Edgar Wright and Olivia Wilde.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2025
So this isn’t a lamentation that the Giants didn’t trade these players, per se.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lamentation
Hung Duong, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The language surrounding Bailey echoes sentiments from the 1990s and early 2000s, when public revelations of a celebrity’s homosexuality often triggered exaggerated lamentations from straight female fans.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
The venues shuttered in March 2020, at the onset of COVID, prompting public lamentations from filmmakers ranging from Barry Jenkins and Lulu Wang to Edgar Wright and Olivia Wilde.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2025
So this isn’t a lamentation that the Giants didn’t trade these players, per se.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lamentation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lamentation
Noun
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And from the stage, the unmistakable wail of a harmonica cut through the warm April air.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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There was grit and grime to his feedback-heavy guitar wails, but there was sweep and grandeur too, more apparent on stage than on record.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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During the show’s second hour, Guthrie went outside to thank the crowd and briefly held back tears.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
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As immigration officers arrested her six weeks ago, through tears and a rushed goodbye, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez had a request for her daughter.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Written and directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, the film centers on a young man from Mumbai who travels back to his family’s village in rural Maharashtra after his father dies, bound by tradition to observe a 10-day mourning period.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
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Through mourning came creative fuel for Levinson, who shares EP duties with his wife, Ashley.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sinew between Thundercat and Tame Impala is thick and obvious—one reason that Bruner doesn’t need ubiquitous Kevin Parker’s lethargic laments.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
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Though marking Jesus’ painful death, Good Friday ultimately points to Easter resurrection—transforming the day from lament to joy for believers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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That, of course, and the occasional ghostly presences, unsettling cries, and blood dripping from the ceiling.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the hands of the six-piece band, the shivering chords of that miniature apocalyptic soul song build into a cathartic climax, which Wasner punctuates with weeping slide guitar.—
Mitch Therieau,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
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Quiet weeping, dropped jaws, fervent applause and the occasional attendee literally vibrating with excitement.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That comment elicited an involuntary groan from the boy’s father, Dalvin Driver, who was in court.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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When Latino residents asked questions and voiced concerns, they were interrupted by jeers and groans from white members of the audience.—
Rafael Carranza,
ProPublica,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For husky owners, the incident served as a reminder that, while the breed is beloved for its personality, those operatic howls can sometimes cause real-world misunderstandings—even police visits.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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In response to howls of protest, the commission has agreed to a 180-day moratorium on severing the ties with PBS.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lamentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lamentation. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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