lament

American  

[luh-ment] / ləˈmɛnt /

verb (used with object)

1. to feel or express sorrow or regret for.

   to lament his absence.

   Synonyms:

   deplore, bemoan, bewail

2. to mourn for or over.

   Synonyms:

   deplore, bemoan, bewail

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verb (used without object)

1. to feel, show, or express grief, sorrow, or regret.

   Synonyms:

   weep, grieve

2. to mourn deeply.

   Synonyms:

   weep, grieve

noun

1. an expression of grief or sorrow.

   Synonyms:

   moan, lamentation

2. a formal expression of sorrow or mourning, especially in verse or song; an elegy or dirge.

   Synonyms:

   threnody, monody

lament British  

/ ləˈmɛnt /

verb

1. to feel or express sorrow, remorse, or regret (for or over)

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noun

1. an expression of sorrow

2. a poem or song in which a death is lamented

Other Word Forms

• lamenter noun
• lamentingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of lament

First recorded in 1520–30; (noun) from Latin lāmentum “plaint”; (verb) from Latin lāmentārī, derivative of lāmentum

Explanation

If you are really upset or sorry about something, you might lament it. A lament is full of regret and grief. If you lament something, then you feel sorry about it. You could lament a mistake you made, or you could lament a horrible thing that happened to a friend. Also, a lament is an expression of grief. So if you keep saying how sorry you are about something, someone could say, "Enough of your laments!" There's also an old literary form called "a lament," which expresses feelings of loss in a long dramatic poem.

Example Sentences

She started off strong, rich and nuanced in Dejanira’s bleak lament about her husband’s long absence and her beatific vision of their future together after death.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Many of us hear our children and grandchildren lament their financial difficulties.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

"Oh Dipu, where is my Dipu?" she cries, collapsing into a mournful lament.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

While many loyal customers lament the loss of open seating, Southwest has been under pressure from investors to boost profitability.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

His seventh symphony received its premiere at a Wagner memorial concert in December 1884, its second movement, Adagio, being in the form of a funeral lament for Wagner.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• bemoan
• deplore
• regret