as in wail
a crying out in grief
there was a great lamentation on Wall Street when the government's latest unemployment figures were published
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 lamentation
The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.
—
H.d. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
The ghetto is full of lamentation.
—
Dr. Michael Good,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
The space was replete with the repetitive knocking of drumsticks, the undulating rhythm of Qur’anic prayers, and the gut-wrenching murmur of lamentation coming from That is not still (Sesuatu yang tidak berdiam), a 2024 video work about Indonesia’s diverse soundscape.
—
Hung Duong,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
The language surrounding Bailey echoes sentiments from the 1990s and early 2000s, when public revelations of a celebrity’s homosexuality often triggered exaggerated lamentations from straight female fans.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lamentation
H.d. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
The ghetto is full of lamentation.
—
Dr. Michael Good,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
The space was replete with the repetitive knocking of drumsticks, the undulating rhythm of Qur’anic prayers, and the gut-wrenching murmur of lamentation coming from That is not still (Sesuatu yang tidak berdiam), a 2024 video work about Indonesia’s diverse soundscape.
—
Hung Duong,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
The language surrounding Bailey echoes sentiments from the 1990s and early 2000s, when public revelations of a celebrity’s homosexuality often triggered exaggerated lamentations from straight female fans.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lamentation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lamentation
Noun
-
After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief.
-
Three species of bats inhabit the site, and supernatural events—including the appearance of the gamekeeper’s ghost and the wail of a banshee—have been reported.
Noun
-
Some waving flags, others wiping away tears, thousands have gathered in Tehran for the funeral of Iran’s former supreme leader.
-
In rare cases, extreme pressure can cause tears in the esophagus.
Noun
-
Would shiva, a traditional Jewish mourning period, be shortened, if held at all?
-
Authorities have shut down streets, airspace and daily life for the mourning, which will end Thursday as he is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei’s place of birth.
Noun
-
The coffin was unveiled late on Thursday to a throng of sobbing supporters, who were swaying and beating their heads in time to a sung lament as flowers were thrown from the bier into the crowd.
-
His lament mirrored the anguish of legions of Venezuelans who endured harrowing days clearing rubble by hand before crews with heavy equipment and rescue dogs belatedly arrived.
Noun
-
He is accused of pressing a screw from the high chair into her leg to make her cry, police told PEOPLE.
-
As the bodies were returned to their families, cries echoed through the neighborhood.
Noun
-
Kimiya was closest, sprawled across the floor weeping, debris swirling around her.
-
Al-Shaair’s lasting memory of his only Super Bowl is hearing the news in his hotel room and weeping.
Noun
-
When his attempt to force a second playoff hole rolled just left, the hundreds who gathered around the green were stunned, letting out a collective groan of disbelief.
-
Out comes a guttural groan, her exertion a tight whip cracking open a black hole of pain.
Noun
-
Many American poets have written hymns and howls, declarations and outcries for this country that brims with so many people, and so many hopes, from all over the world.
-
The engine delivers a deep, purposeful hum rather than an all-out howl as the gears disappear in quick succession.
Cite this Entry
“Lamentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lamentation. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
