mourning

noun

mourn·​ing ˈmȯr-niŋ 

1

: the act of sorrowing

She is still in mourning for her dead husband.

2

a

: an outward sign (such as black clothes or an armband) of grief for a person's death

lots of people there, and only one man in full mourning

—Arnold Bennett

b

: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown

after a long mourning, resume their ordinary dresses

—Henry Reed

Examples of mourning in a Sentence

a day of national mourning

She is still in mourning for her dead husband.

The whole town was in mourning.

a period of deep mourning

His widow was dressed in mourning.

Recent Examples on the Web

The local municipality has declared two days of mourning on Monday and Tuesday. —Sharon Braithwaite and Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024

Each of our 10 resulting selections is a triumph of alchemy, deriving insight from fresh combinations of dismay and delight, tragedy and comedy, mourning and hope. —The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2024

Ahead of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the Americas, Indigenous tribes held protests and began holding mourning events around Thanksgiving to tell another story. —Russell Contreras, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024

The exhibition also will feature a black mourning bodice worn by Queen Victoria in the early years following the death of her husband, Prince Albert. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mourning

• go into mourning
• mourning cloak
• mourning dove

Kids Definition

mourning

noun

mourn·​ing ˈmōr-niŋ 

ˈmȯr-

1

: the act of grieving

2

: an outward sign (as black clothes or a black arm band) of grief for a person's death

to wear mourning

3

: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown