bewail

Definition of bewailnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bewail differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bewail are bemoan, 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 is it sensible to use deplore instead of bewail?

The words deplore and bewail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deplore implies regret for the loss or impairment of something of value.

deplores the breakdown in family values

When could lament be used to replace bewail?

Although the words lament and bewail have much in common, lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewail
Verb
  • Noticias Telemundo confirmed the deaths with Trejo’s soccer club, Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, which mourned the tragic loss of their player’s family.
    Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 29 June 2026
  • At two hundred and fifty, the job is not to mourn it.
    Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Panama coach Thomas Christiansen lamented a new World Cup rule that has left his team mathematically eliminated before their final Group L game, with today's clash against England offering only a chance to claw back some pride.
    NBC News, NBC news, 28 June 2026
  • Torres lamented that the nation’s landmark semiquincentennial comes amid a fever pitch of anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States, marked by a rise in xenophobia and an onslaught of attempts to restrict newcomers here and abroad.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Bewail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewail. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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