Which option best defines the verb deplore?

• A. to believe something is wrong or bad
• B. to lament; to regret
• C. to feel great sadness about
• D. to celebrate

Answer: (B)

Deplore means to express strong disapproval of something, or to regret it deeply. It captures both a moral stance and a sense of sorrow about an action or situation, often spoken or written to condemn it. That’s why it fits “to lament; to regret” best—you’re not just judging something as bad, you’re openly lamenting it and signaling disapproval.

You can see it in sentences like: “The officials deplore the violence and urge an end to the conflict.” Here, the emotion is both disapproval and sorrow. The other options miss this mix: believing something is wrong is a judgment without the emotional expressiveness; feeling great sadness about something is emotion alone without the sense of disapproval or public condemnation; celebrating is the exact opposite.