as in to mourn
to feel or express sorrow for
he invariably spends more time bewailing his predicament than trying to fix it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bewail
Israel has bewailed each nation’s announcement, claiming that their gesture is only emboldening Hamas and prolonging the war by showing there are benefits to be gained through terrorism like that carried out on Oct. 7.
—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Aug. 2025
The grandmother would flee, and Billy would smite his chest and in Old Testament tones bewail his sinful life.
—
Werner Herzog,
The New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2023
Among progressives, the same people who bewail the influence of corporations on cultural and political life also propose to entrench the social role of big businesses by making individual Americans more dependent on them for everything from health care to retirement income.
—
Kevin D. Williamson,
National Review,
13 May 2021
Trump’s critics bewailed the outcome as a defeat and a betrayal of our Kurdish allies.
—
Los Angeles Times,
16 Oct. 2019
Understandably, promoters and artist representatives have long bewailed the enormous profits being made on the secondary market, which takes none of the risk and puts up none of the funding — and shares none of its profits — for major live events.
—
Variety,
The Mercury News,
24 July 2019
Across the country, North and South, Christians gathered in their churches to remember the crucifixion of Christ and to bewail their sins, which made such a sacrifice necessary.
—
Jonathan Den Hartog,
WSJ,
26 Apr. 2018
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Aug. 2025
The grandmother would flee, and Billy would smite his chest and in Old Testament tones bewail his sinful life.
—
Werner Herzog,
The New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2023
Among progressives, the same people who bewail the influence of corporations on cultural and political life also propose to entrench the social role of big businesses by making individual Americans more dependent on them for everything from health care to retirement income.
—
Kevin D. Williamson,
National Review,
13 May 2021
Trump’s critics bewailed the outcome as a defeat and a betrayal of our Kurdish allies.
—
Los Angeles Times,
16 Oct. 2019
Understandably, promoters and artist representatives have long bewailed the enormous profits being made on the secondary market, which takes none of the risk and puts up none of the funding — and shares none of its profits — for major live events.
—
Variety,
The Mercury News,
24 July 2019
Across the country, North and South, Christians gathered in their churches to remember the crucifixion of Christ and to bewail their sins, which made such a sacrifice necessary.
—
Jonathan Den Hartog,
WSJ,
26 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewail
Verb
-
As Hinkley’s family and fiancée mourn the loss of a young man who still had his entire future ahead of him, prosecutors emphasized the scrutiny applied when criminal allegations involve an on-duty law enforcement officer.
-
The burning of Notre-Dame reminded humanity how to mourn a tragedy.
Verb
-
Canada’s first-ever World Cup win was overshadowed yesterday when midfielder Ismaël Koné suffered a broken leg after a tackle that left teammates shaken and coach Jesse Marsch lamenting an injury that turned a night of celebration into one of anguish.
-
With the old global trade regime in shambles, European officials lamented the new world order.
Cite this Entry
“Bewail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewail. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
