Synonyms of bemoan

bemoan

verb

bi-ˈmōn 

1

as in to mourn

to feel or express sorrow for

bemoaned the death of his wife by writing a series of poignant letters addressed to her

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in to regret

to feel sorry or dissatisfied about

a think piece bemoaning the coarsening of our society over the last several decades

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bemoan differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bemoan are bewail, deplore, and lament. While all these words mean "to express grief or sorrow for something," 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 could deplore be used to replace bemoan?

While the synonyms deplore and bemoan are close in meaning, deplore implies regret for the loss or impairment of something of value.

deplores the breakdown in family values

When is lament a more appropriate choice than bemoan?

While in some cases nearly identical to bemoan, lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bemoan

Following a 38-13 win over Chicago, Samuel took to social media to bemoan a lack of opportunities. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

Artificial intelligence was once again the talk of global leaders at Davos this year — but their sentiment was decidedly more mixed, with some eagerly anticipating the arrival of AI agents and others bemoaning that AI hasn't yet boosted their bottom lines. —Ina Fried, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025

Doug LaMalfa, the new chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, bemoaned the loss of four dams in his Northern California district amid rising energy demand. —Daniel Moore, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025

For years, the Hornets bemoaned their lack of a true center who was both young and had substantial upside. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Feb. 2025