adjective
lamentable
luh-MEN-tuh-bul/ləˈmentəbl/
Unfortunate enough to cause sorrow or regret.
The two women survey the lamentable condition of the community garden.
Etymology
Built on the verb for wailing or mourning, lamentable moved from describing sorrow to describing what calls for sorrow. Something lamentable deserves regret because it is distressing or unfortunate.
In context
The provocations that we have seen have resulted in a lamentable, deeply lamentable, loss of life
More examples
- The closure of the town's only library is a lamentable loss.
- It is lamentable that so many families lack safe drinking water.
- A lamentable mistake left several students without their scholarship money.
Forms
lamentable
lamentably adverb — In a way that deserves regret.
Similar words
- regrettable
- Emphasizes regret rather than the sorrow an event causes.
- unfortunate
- Often describes bad luck without suggesting deep sorrow or regret.
- deplorable
- Expresses stronger disapproval, especially of conduct or poor conditions.