deplore

verb

de·​plore di-ˈplȯr How to pronounce deplore (audio)
deplored; deploring

transitive verb

1
a
: to feel or express grief for
deplore the death of a friend
b
: to regret strongly
deplore my own actions
2
: to consider unfortunate or deserving of deprecation
many critics deplore his methods
deplorer noun
deploringly adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for deplore

deplore, lament, bewail, bemoan 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

lament implies a profound or demonstrative expression of sorrow.

lamenting the loss of their only child

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

Examples of deplore in a Sentence

We deplore the development of nuclear weapons. Many people deplored the change. Although deplored by many, her decisions have greatly benefited the company.
Recent Examples on the Web The broader American sickness that Klinenberg rightly deplores—shooting deaths, traffic deaths, violence generally—was entrenched before the specific sickness of Covid arose, and was only marginally slowed or accelerated by it. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 After a white police officer murdered George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, in Minneapolis in May 2020, Trible emailed the CNU community, deploring not only the deaths of Floyd and other victims of police violence, but also the vandalism associated with protests sweeping the country. Brandi Kellam, ProPublica, 22 Dec. 2023 More accurate were the settlers themselves, who deplored this painful tragedy of their commons. Amity Shlaes, National Review, 10 Jan. 2024 Still, there were moments of tension with critics who deplored Mr. Kissinger’s brand of realpolitik. Jacob Bernstein, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023 In the early 20th century, The Times regularly tut-tutted over antisemitism abroad, and deplored the pogroms that the Russian czar waged. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024 Reviewing a collection of Tom Wolfe’s journalism, Hitchens deplored Wolfe’s affectations and his plummy conservative politics. Dwight Garner, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2024 On the one hand, Chinese and American individuals and groups who have benefited from interdependence deplore the corrosion of bilateral ties and call for stability. Wang Jisi, Foreign Affairs, 23 Nov. 2023 Donald Trump returned Tuesday to the civil fraud trial that imperils his real estate empire, watching and deploring the case as an employee and an outside appraiser testified that his company essentially put a thumb on the scale when sizing up his properties’ value. Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French deplorer, from Latin deplorare, from de- + plorare to wail

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of deplore was in 1559

Dictionary Entries Near deplore

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

deplore

verb
de·​plore di-ˈplō(ə)r How to pronounce deplore (audio)
-ˈplȯ(ə)r
deplored; deploring
1
a
: to feel or express grief for
b
: to regret strongly
2
: to consider unfortunate or deserving of disapproval
deplorer noun
deploringly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on deplore

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