bemoan

verb

be·​moan bi-ˈmōn 

bē-

bemoaned; bemoaning; bemoans

transitive verb

1

: to express deep grief or distress over

bemoan the death of their leader

2

: to regard with displeasure, disapproval, or regret

bemoaning the lack of civility in modern political discourse

Synonyms

• bewail
• deplore
• grieve (for)
• lament
• mourn
• wail (for)

Choose the Right Synonym for bemoan

deplore, lament, bewail, bemoan mean to express grief or sorrow for something.

deplore implies regret for the loss or impairment of something of value.

deplores the breakdown in family values

lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

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

Examples of bemoan in a Sentence

He bemoans the fact that the team lost again.

an article bemoaning the decline in voter turnout

Some critics are always bemoaning the state of the language.

Recent Examples on the Web

Conservative ideologues bemoaned the inclusion of characters who did not fit the cookie-cutter image of a white, cis, hetero man. —Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024

Less than an hour after the 30-17 defeat, Boutte bemoaned the team’s game plan against a Cardinals defense that held the Patriots to three points entering the fourth quarter. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Dec. 2024

In The Guardian, Conor Niland bemoans the loneliness of life as a low-ranking tennis player. —Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 13 Dec. 2024

This new dual-character Bentley leaves us with no reason to bemoan the loss of its gas-guzzling W12 engine. —Jaclyn Trop, Robb Report, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bemoan

verb

be·​moan bi-ˈmōn 

: to express grief over