Bewails

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Voices strong sadness or sorrow about something, often publicly and with emotion
2. Shows or declares profound regret or unhappiness, sometimes loudly
3. Communicates feelings of distress or lamentation over an unfortunate event

Etymology: "Bewails" is the third-person singular form of "bewail," so it describes someone who is lamenting or grieving over something. The verb comes from Middle English "bewailen," built from the prefix "be-," meaning "over" or "about," and the familiar verb "wail." The "be-" prefix is what gives the word its sense of directed grief. Its meaning was not simply to cry out, but to cry out over something specific, such as a loss or misfortune. In that sense, to bewail something is to mourn it aloud, expressing sorrow about a particular thing rather than wailing in general.

Synonyms: mourns, laments, grieves, sorrows, deplores

Antonyms: rejoices, celebrates, exults