lamentable
gb/ləmˈɛntəbəl/ us/ləmˈɛntəbəl/
C1
English
~ 10000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
very bad and to be regretted
Very bad and causing people to feel sorry or angry about it.
Usage pattern:
a lamentable [decision/mistake/situation]; it is lamentable that [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "lamentable" with the verb "lament" and try to use it as a verb (e.g. *"They lamentable the loss"*). "Lamentable" is only an adjective and must describe a noun ("a lamentable loss") or be used after a linking verb ("The situation is lamentable"). Another issue is overusing it in casual speech, where simpler words like "very bad" or "terrible" are more natural.
Synonyms
deplorable (Very close in meaning; perhaps slightly stronger and common in both formal and semi-formal contexts.)
|
regrettable (Focuses more on the feeling of regret than on strong moral criticism; slightly softer than "lamentable".)
|
shameful (Stronger moral judgment, suggesting the situation should cause shame.)
Antonyms
commendable (Describes actions or situations that deserve praise, the opposite of something deserving criticism.)
|
excellent (Indicates a very high quality, the direct contrast to something very poor or bad.)
Collocations
lamentable state
|lamentable lack of
|lamentable failure
|lamentable decision
|utterly lamentable
|quite lamentable
Themes
evaluation
|opinions
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The report concludes that the government’s response to the crisis was frankly lamentable.
- It is lamentable that so many people still lack access to clean drinking water.
- The team’s lamentable performance cost them a place in the final.
- Her essay shows a lamentable misunderstanding of the main issues.
- The building was left in a lamentable state after years of neglect.
Learner examples
- The service at that restaurant was lamentable.
- It is lamentable that many children cannot go to school.
- Their lamentable mistake caused a big problem.
- The company has a lamentable record on worker safety.
- We saw a lamentable lack of planning in the project.
adjective
literary
C1
property
2
causing sorrow or pity
Making people feel very sad or full of pity.
Usage pattern:
a lamentable [end/sight/story]; the lamentable [death/loss] of [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may treat this sense as if it were neutral or casual, but in modern English it sounds quite formal or literary. In everyday speech, words like "very sad," "terrible," or "tragic" are more common.
Synonyms
tragic (Stresses the sadness and seriousness of an event; slightly broader and more common in everyday speech.)
|
pitiful (Highlights that something or someone makes you feel pity; can sometimes sound more judgmental or condescending.)
|
sad (A simpler and more general word; less formal and less intense than "lamentable".)
Antonyms
heartwarming (Describes something that makes you feel warm and happy, the opposite emotional effect of something lamentable in this sense.)
|
uplifting (Refers to something that raises your spirits, contrasting with events that cause sorrow.)
Collocations
lamentable loss
|lamentable death
|lamentable tragedy
|lamentable tale
|lamentable fate
|truly lamentable
Themes
emotions
|literature
|tragedy
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The film tells the lamentable story of a family torn apart by war.
- His early and unexpected death at thirty was a lamentable loss to the scientific community.
- From the hilltop we watched the town’s lamentable ruin after the flood.
- The novel begins with the lamentable fate of a child separated from her parents.
- It was a lamentable end to what had once been a close friendship.
Learner examples
- The singer’s sudden death was a lamentable event.
- It is a lamentable story of a boy who loses his home.
- We heard about the lamentable accident on the news.
- The movie shows the lamentable life of people in the war.
- Everyone agreed that it was a lamentable loss for the city.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lamentable
IPA
GB/ləmˈɛntəbəl/
US/ləmˈɛntəbəl/
Syllables & stress
lam - ent - able (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ent)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lamentable
Word family
Core family
lament
verb C1
lamentably
adverb
Advanced or less common
lamentation
noun C1
Expressions
it is lamentable that
1/ˈɪt ˈɪz ləmˈɛntəbəl ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
formal
stating a bad, regrettable situation
A formal way to say that you think a situation is very bad and makes you feel regret or sadness.
Examples
- It is lamentable that so few witnesses have come forward.
- It is lamentable that the negotiations broke down at such a late stage.
- It is lamentable that education is still not a priority in many regions.