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
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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
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Mitchell has made the point before that every new technology brings wails that the fish won’t survive.— Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
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And from the stage, the unmistakable wail of a harmonica cut through the warm April air.— Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Vince won the case at trial, though Linda was reportedly left in tears when an exchange in court revealed another Vince affair.— Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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Troy Brown was in tears Monday while talking about his son, who died in the shooting.— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Written and directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, the film centers on a young man from Mumbai who travels back to his family’s village in rural Maharashtra after his father dies, bound by tradition to observe a 10-day mourning period.— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
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Through mourning came creative fuel for Levinson, who shares EP duties with his wife, Ashley.— Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sinew between Thundercat and Tame Impala is thick and obvious—one reason that Bruner doesn’t need ubiquitous Kevin Parker’s lethargic laments.— Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
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Though marking Jesus’ painful death, Good Friday ultimately points to Easter resurrection—transforming the day from lament to joy for believers.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.— Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
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That, of course, and the occasional ghostly presences, unsettling cries, and blood dripping from the ceiling.— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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It’s been splendid watching the weeping and gnashing of teeth from American MAGA supporters.— Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
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In the hands of the six-piece band, the shivering chords of that miniature apocalyptic soul song build into a cathartic climax, which Wasner punctuates with weeping slide guitar.— Mitch Therieau, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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All these moments are good for audience groans and there’s an enjoyable bad movie here for the seizing — that is when Cronin isn’t steering the action back to Egypt for an underpowered mystery thread involving a one-dimensional Cairo detective (May Calamawy) pursuing the root of the trouble.— Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
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The proper response to this is a cynical groan.— U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Ohtani let out a howl and grimaced before going to first base.— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
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For husky owners, the incident served as a reminder that, while the breed is beloved for its personality, those operatic howls can sometimes cause real-world misunderstandings—even police visits.— Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lamentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/lamentation. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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