mourn

verb

ˈmȯrn 

mourned; mourning; mourns

intransitive verb

1

: to feel or express grief or sorrow

When he dies, people throughout the world will mourn.

2

: to show the customary signs of grief for a death

especially : to wear mourning

mourned for thirty days in black clothes

3

: to murmur mournfully

—used especially of doves

transitive verb

1

: to feel or express grief or sorrow for

mourned the death of his son

2

: to utter mournfully

let the whirlwind mourn its requiem

—W. S. Gilbert

mourner noun

mourningly

ˈmȯr-niŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• agonize
• anguish
• bleed
• grieve
• hurt
• sorrow
• suffer

Examples of mourn in a Sentence

She is still mourning her husband, who died last year.

Thousands of people mourned his death.

She was mourned by everyone who knew her.

She mourned the loss of her youth.

He still mourns the fact that he never went to college.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tributes have poured in for the singer since his death, with everyone from his former bandmates to his family, other celebrities, and countless fans mourning Payne. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2024

On Tuesday, Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social app mourning Marcus's death. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024

The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of Quincy Jones, the music producer known for his work with icons including Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024

As Horowitz has argued, Ives is really an American counterpart to Mahler, who stormed toward the future while mourning the past. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English murnan; akin to Old High German mornēn to mourn, Greek mermēra care — more at memory

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

mourn

verb

ˈmō(ə)rn 

ˈmȯ(ə)rn

1

: to feel or show grief or sorrow especially over someone's death

2

: to display the customary signs of grief for a death especially by wearing mourning

mourner noun