lamentable

adjective

la·​men·​ta·​ble lə-ˈmen-tə-bəl How to pronounce lamentable (audio)
also
ˈla-mən- How to pronounce lamentable (audio)
Synonyms of lamentable
1
: that is to be regretted or lamented : deplorable
the lamentable consequences of the war
2
: expressing grief : mournful
… a faint and lamentable cry …—Walter de la Mare
lamentableness noun
lamentably
lə-ˈmen-tə-blē How to pronounce lamentable (audio)
also
ˈla-mən- How to pronounce lamentable (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of lamentable

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Examples of lamentable in a Sentence

the lamentable cries of the women for their slain sons were heard throughout the village it's a lamentable situation, but I don't see how it can be fixed
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The diminishing role of the federal government in addressing this crisis is lamentable. — Monitor Reader, Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2026 Still furious at her mother, Natalie tentatively chooses to believe Cady but takes a gun along just in case, which turns out to be another lamentable decision. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026 Skeptics said that for a denomination with more than 40,000 churches and millions of members, those numbers were lamentable but not symptoms of a widespread crisis. — ABC News, 25 June 2026 Those lamentable prior actions, of course, include overly generous pension benefits for state workers and public school teachers. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lamentable

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lamentable was in the 15th century

Rhymes for lamentable

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Browse Nearby Words

lamentabile
lamentable
lamentation
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Cite this Entry

“Lamentable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lamentable. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lamentable

adjective
la·​men·​ta·​ble ˈlam-ən-tə-bəl How to pronounce lamentable (audio) lə-ˈment-ə- How to pronounce lamentable (audio)
1
: that is to be regretted or lamented
2
: sorrowful sense 2
lamentableness noun
lamentably
-blē How to pronounce lamentable (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on lamentable

Nglish: Translation of lamentable for Spanish Speakers

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