lamentable

adjective

la·​men·​ta·​ble lə-ˈmen-tə-bəl 

also

ˈla-mən- 

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 

also

ˈla-mən- 

adverb

Synonyms

• aching
• agonized
• anguished
• bemoaning
• bewailing
• bitter
• deploring
• doleful
• dolesome
• dolorous
• funeral
• grieving
• heartbroken
• lugubrious
• mournful
• plaintive
• plangent
• regretful
• rueful
• sorrowful
• sorry
• wailing
• weeping
• woeful

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

This war, and all its lamentable loss, could end quickly if Hamas released the hostages, and stopped holding Gaza captive to its ideology of hatred and death. —Washington Post, 21 June 2024

Lynne Fox, president of Workers United, the union representing the Starbucks employees, said the decision was lamentable. —Santul Nerkar, New York Times, 13 June 2024

Shafik and other Columbia officials, backed by Mayor Adams and the Police Department, have defended the decision to bring in cops in riot gear as lamentable but necessary. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 2 May 2024

Such intensifying confrontation is lamentable but not inevitable. —Zhou Bo, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lamentable

adjective

la·​men·​ta·​ble ˈlam-ən-tə-bəl  lə-ˈment-ə- 

1

: that is to be regretted or lamented

2

: sorrowful sense 2

lamentableness noun

lamentably

-blē 

adverb