deplore

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as in to regret
to feel sorry or dissatisfied about deplored the fact that his guests were seeing his apartment at its messiest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deplore differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deplore are bemoan, bewail, and lament. While all these words mean "to express grief or sorrow for something," deplore implies regret for the loss or impairment of something of value.

deplores the breakdown in family values

How are the words bewail and bemoan related as synonyms of deplore?

Both bewail and bemoan imply sorrow, disappointment, or protest finding outlet in words or cries, bewail commonly suggesting loudness, and bemoan lugubriousness.

fans bewailed the defeat
purists bemoaning the corruption of the language

When is lament a more appropriate choice than deplore?

The synonyms lament and deplore are sometimes interchangeable, but lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

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 deplore The issue before us right now is not principally the character of Donald Trump, which is exalted by his supporters, deplored by his opponents and generally disregarded by the plurality of the electorate. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2025 The movie doesn’t show that his death led to an outpouring of on-line protest, deploring his silencing and demanding freedom of speech. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025 The Chinese company has publicly deplored any military use of its drones and stopped selling direct to Russia and Ukraine, but despite the ban their drones can easily be bought via third parties. David Hambling, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 For Chad, these trends are reminiscent of hearing his dad, a plant worker, deplore his workplace’s ‘treating employees as numbers’ culture. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deplore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deplore
Verb
  • Many airlines have long relied on aging computer systems, and the aviation industry has been criticized for failing to modernize swiftly.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 22 July 2025
  • During the 2024 presidential election, for instance, conservatives criticized Kamala Harris for tweeting support in 2020 for the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
    Meg Anderson, NPR, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • On Thursday, those who played with Braman also mourned his death.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 17 July 2025
  • Fans mourn full Thursday programming lineup at Bonnaroo Starting the festival's programming on Thursday night, instead of the typical inclusion of a full Thursday line-up in past years, has also been the source of some contention.
    Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • Conrad is the last to leave the restaurant, his face filled with confusion, maybe regret, and definitely shock.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
  • Duchesne likes Trump policies such as his stance on the border and doesn’t regret voting for him.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Trump doubled down on his past criticism and blamed Biden for Powell remaining in the role.
    Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • The current president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group, blamed it for unrest in the country and imprisoned many of its leaders.
    Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Nabarro lamented how politics had begun shifting how governments responded to global health emergencies.
    Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 26 July 2025
  • Boniadi laments that many in the West fail to grasp that most Iranians reject the Islamic Republic.
    Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Huckabee, an evangelical Christian who is normally strongly supportive of Israel, harshly condemned the attack.
    Wafaa Shurafa, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025
  • The Trump administration accused them of belonging to the Tren de Aragua street gang in a case condemned by rights groups.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • But by a 2-1 vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found Austin acted within his authority and faulted the military judge's ruling.
    MARK SHERMAN, arkansasonline.com, 12 July 2025
  • Critics, who’ve long dismissed the shoe rule as more security theater than actual security, have also faulted the policy for increasing wait times at security checkpoints at American airports.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deplore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deplore. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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