lamented
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lamented
Explanation
Use the adjective lamented to talk fondly about someone who's died. You might describe your favorite elementary school teacher as "my dear lamented Mrs. McGinty." Lamented is often used in the phrase "late lamented," which implies that the person you're talking about is dead and that you really miss him or her. Inanimate objects can also be lamented, like the neighborhood book shop that closed, or a magazine you used to read that is no longer in print. The root Latin word is lamentationem, which describes wailing, moaning, and weeping.
Vocabulary lists containing lamented
Much Ado About Nothing
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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This Week In Culture: May 31–June 5, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Former Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati lamented Altman’s “constant panic around our projects,” which she wrote led to chaos and churn.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Despite being satisfied the correct decision was made, Rooney lamented the advantage goalkeepers get inside their own area.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
Many a sitcom, drama and news program of that era lamented the lack of congressional courage.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
Monteiro lamented that news of such gun battles would hurt tourism.
From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026
Elizabeth Drinker heard more stories of friends who had died, and lamented: “Desolution, Cruelty and Distress have of late resounded in our ears from many quarters.”
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
