lamentable

adjective

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

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 With lamentable lack of skill at anything besides posing for photos at the Dolphin Mall, Izzy sets out to find a sidekick and is drawn to an unexpected ally: Lolita, the Miami Seaquarium’s captive orca. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 In some ways, the new show is about the inexorable pull of time, the lamentable fact of aging. Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2024 Polyamory’s lamentable sensibility stems from its exclusivity—ironically, an exclusivity that no one particularly wants to join. TIME, 9 Feb. 2024 To be sure, there is something understandable, yet lamentable, in that notion. Michael Serazio, Fortune, 25 Dec. 2023 Monday’s attack at 375 Washington St., which left the victim with a bruised left eye and cuts near both eyelids, as well as on his left hand, was the latest lamentable incident of youth violence in the area, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement. Tonya Alanez, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2023 And that’s about as much fun as most people will have at Disney’s third attempt at bringing the ride’s spooky charms to the screen after 2003’s lamentable Eddie Murphy starrer and 2021’s enjoyable Muppets Haunted Mansion streaming special. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 July 2023 The history of Hollywood is, if nothing else, a 100 Years’ War between corporate interests and creative instincts, and that pitched battle, for all its lamentable casualties, has produced the most influential cultural economy on Earth. Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2023 This is one of the most lamentable legacies of twentieth-century liberalism. How To Save A Country, The New Republic, 20 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lamentable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near lamentable

Cite this Entry

“Lamentable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lamentable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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
lamentableness noun
lamentably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on lamentable

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