Synonyms of lament

lament 1 of 2

verb

lə-ˈment 

1

as in to mourn

to feel or express sorrow for

she lamented the loss of her beloved pet to a degree that went way beyond words

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mourn
• regret
• bewail
• bemoan
• deplore
• grieve (for)
• wail (for)
• weep
• sorrow
• moan
• hurt
• sob
• suffer
• rue
• cry (for)
• keen
• elegize
• bawl
• agonize
• blubber
• bleed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• joy
• glory (in)
• delight
• rejoice (in)
• laugh
• beam
• exult (in)
• cheer
• smile
• grin

2

as in to regret

to feel sorry or dissatisfied about

the youth lamented not having spent more time with his late grandfather

Synonyms & Similar Words

• regret
• repent
• rue
• bemoan
• deplore
• mourn
• sorrow (for)
• bewail
• grieve (for)
• ache (for)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• enjoy
• relish
• delight (in)
• savor
• revel (in)

lament

2 of 2

noun

1

as in wail

a crying out in grief

the national lament that was heard when the beloved singer perished in the crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wail
• lamentation
• tears
• mourning
• cry
• groan
• howl
• weeping
• moan
• keen
• plaint
• sob
• suffering
• regret
• protest
• sorrow
• outcry
• sorrowing
• grief
• anguish
• grieving
• heartbreak
• woe
• heartache
• complaint
• hand-wringing
• agonizing
• dolor
• cri de coeur

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rejoicing
• exultation
• smiling
• laughing
• cheering

2

as in dirge

a composition expressing one's grief over a loss

a poem that is her lament for her late grandmother

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dirge
• elegy
• taps
• requiem
• threnody
• monody
• elegiac

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• eulogy
• paean
• panegyric
• encomium

3

as in whine

an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment

the actress' lament that there aren't enough good roles for women

Synonyms & Similar Words

• whine
• moan
• complaint
• grievance
• bitch
• fuss
• whimper
• wail
• grumble
• gripe
• bleat
• grouse
• murmur
• squawk
• whinge
• plaint
• carp
• protest
• beef
• holler
• objection
• yammer
• miserere
• kvetch
• grouch
• quibble
• demur
• challenge
• remonstrance
• expostulation
• stink
• niggle
• kick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praise
• compliment
• commendation
• approval
• acclaim
• applause
• plaudit
• sanction
• endorsement

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb lament differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lament are bemoan, bewail, and deplore. While all these words mean "to express grief or sorrow for something," lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

How do bewail and bemoan relate to one another, in the sense of lament?

Both 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

When is it sensible to use deplore instead of lament?

The words deplore and lament are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deplore implies regret for the loss or impairment of something of value.

deplores the breakdown in family values

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lament

Verb

Senate Budget Committee Vice Chairman Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, lamented how the budget process went. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026

The two transgender athletes who challenged the West Virginia and Idaho's laws, Becky Pepper-Jackson and Lindsay Hecox, respectively, were represented by the ACLU, which lamented the Supreme Court's decision. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Noun

This week, Tyla gets in her feelings, Tierra Whack spits bars on a spritely beat, and Kelela slows it down on a lover’s lament that dates back to her debut album. — Rolling Stone, 19 June 2026

The saxophone sounds tangled in lament and inquisition before skronking what sounds like an emergency signal. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026