bemoan

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bemoan For years and years, former TCU coach Gary Patterson bemoaned SMU’s existence on the schedule. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2025 Some Swifties bemoaned the thought of working after finding out about Swift and Kelce's engagement. Melina Khan, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025 The adults in our lives were always bemoaning the crime, the weather, and the public schools. Jeanie Riess, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2025 For those haters bemoaning the schedule for next year. Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bemoan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bemoan
Verb
  • Many lawmakers, conservative and liberal alike, mourned him and the incident of political violence.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Tahlequah previously made global headlines in 2018 for carrying a dead calf for over 1,000 miles across 17 days, demonstrating what researchers believe is mourning behavior among orcas.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Patriots may be regretting that decision after the first two weeks of the season.
    Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • That happy picture shattered about 24 years ago due to a life mistake Ruiz regrets to this day.
    Michael Rios, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Andrew Harnik/Getty Images What To Know On September 13, Invita, which, according to its website, has two California locations, one in Rancho Santa Fe and the other in Carlsbad, posted pictures and messages on social media lamenting Kirk's murder.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Trabuco coach Mark Nolan lamented a penalty that wiped out an interception that preceded Romo’s score, calling it the turning point in the game.
    Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bemoan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemoan. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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