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

Authoritative commentary in leading magazines has bemoaned that the West has fallen out of love with economic growth. —Jon Moynihan, Fortune Europe, 3 Dec. 2024

Now, with changes afoot at what has been a reflexively anti-merger Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice, media moguls may again get to mogul-ing, instead of bemoaning their fates while leaving many others unemployed. —David Bloom, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

Heathrow expansion would be welcomed by many airlines, who have long bemoaned fierce competition and high costs for purchasing flight slots at the transport hub. —Jenni Reid, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2024

Tavern-style pizza lovers bemoaned the loss of Bridgeport's Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream in 2022, but one of the creators is back with a new pizza spot in West Town called Pizz'Amici. —Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 25 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