Standard Lemma guide

deplore

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /dɪˈploɹ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /dɪˈplɔː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /dɪˈplo(ː)ɹ/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • /dɪˈploə/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 P L AO1 R Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I deplore my neighbour for having lost his job.
  • I deplore not having listened to your advice.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bewail, lament, afterthink, becry, begrieve, bemoan, bemourn, beweep, condole, deplore, elegize, grieve, grieven, keen, mean, mourn, pine, repent, sigh, sorrow, wail, wayment

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To condemn; to express strong disapproval of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I deplore how you treated him at the party.
  • The UNHCR deplores the recent events in Sudan.
  • Many people deplore the actions of the corrupt government.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: censure, condemn, admonish, animadvert, bash, bawl out, slash, lash, blame, scorch, blast, berate, berisp, castigate, charge, chastise, chew out, chide, criticize, denounce, denunciate, deprecate, derogate, dispraise, drag, dress down, eat someone alive, excoriate, find fault, fulminate, get at, get down, get up, give somebody a piece of one's mind, give somebody what-for, inveigh, lace into, lambaste, lay into, lecture, light into, objurgate, pooh-pooh, put someone on blast, rate, read somebody the riot act, rebuke, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, rip into, rubbish, savage, scold, skewer, slam, slate, tear into, tell off, threap, tick off, tosh, keelhaul, upbraid, vilify, vituperate

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To regard as hopeless; to give up.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cede, yield, abandon, bend, capitulate, cave in, deplore, fall in line, give over, give in, give up, give way, knuckle under, relinquish, submit, surrender, strike one's flag, strike the colors, strike the flag, throw in the towel, throw up one's hands, turn in, wave the white flag

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

express strong disapproval of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We deplore the government's treatment of political prisoners

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart

Narrower terms: accurse, execrate, anathemize, comminate, anathemise, anathematize, anathematise

5

verb

Meaning 5

regret strongly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I deplore this hostile action
  • we lamented the loss of benefits

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lament, bewail, bemoan

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: complain, kick, plain, sound off, quetch, kvetch

History

Etymology

From Middle French déplorer, from Old French deplorer, from Latin dēplōrāre (“to lament over, bewail”), from dē- + plōrāre (“to wail, weep aloud”); origin uncertain.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: оплаквам (oplakvam) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Bulgarian: съжалявам (sǎžaljavam) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Dutch: betreuren — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Esperanto: priplori — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Finnish: tuntea mielipahaa — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Finnish: valittaa — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • French: déplorer — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • German: bedauern — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Greek: οικτίρω (oiktíro) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Greek: θλίβομαι (thlívomai) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Greek: αποδοκιμάζω (apodokimázo) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Ancient Greek: κατοδύρομαι (katodúromai) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Polish: opłakiwać — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Romanian: plânge — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Russian: опла́кивать (oplákivatʹ) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Russian: сожале́ть (sožalétʹ) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Scottish Gaelic: caoidh — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Scottish Gaelic: caoin — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Spanish: deplorar — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Ukrainian: оплакувати (oplakuvaty) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Ukrainian: шкодувати (škoduvaty) — to bewail; to weep bitterly over; to feel sorrow for
  • Bulgarian: осъждам (osǎždam) — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Bulgarian: не одобрявам (ne odobrjavam) — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Dutch: verwerpen — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • German: verdammen — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Māori: whakakino — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Māori: tirohura — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Russian: осужда́ть (osuždátʹ) — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Ukrainian: засуджувати (zasudžuvaty) — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of
  • Ukrainian: не погоджуватися (ne pohodžuvatysja) — transitive: To condemn; to express strong disapproval of