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

House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke is mourning a messy moment for her Team Green matriarch, Alicent Hightower. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 18 June 2024

But there are a few things that might make the area more inviting for mourning doves and less so for crows and scrub-jays. —Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024

The Hollywood strikes started soon after his father’s death, giving Chung time to mourn. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 June 2024

The man, the myth, the logo: Jerry West dies at 86 The sports world, basketball in particular, is mourning the loss of NBA legend Jerry West, who died Wednesday at the age of 86. —Trisha Garcia-Easto, Sacramento Bee, 14 June 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