What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
crying
Example
She couldn't stop crying after hearing the news. [crying: verb]
Example
The baby's crying kept me up all night. [crying: noun]
lamentation
Example
The lamentation of the mourners could be heard throughout the church. [lamentation: noun]
Example
She wrote a beautiful lamentation for her late husband. [lamentation: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Crying is more commonly used than lamentation in everyday language. Crying is a universal human response to emotional situations, while lamentation is a more formal and poetic expression that is less common in everyday speech.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between crying and lamentation?
Lamentation is more formal and poetic than crying. It is often used in literature or poetry to convey emotion, while crying is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
