mourn

verb

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 requiemW. S. Gilbert
mourner noun
mourningly adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On Sunday, Battle’s cousins mourned in a relative’s apartment about a half-mile away from the shooting scene. John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2025 Another video geolocated by CNN showed women mourning among the bodies of at least twenty men in civilian clothes who appear to have been shot dead in a village near the town of al Jinderiyah. Eyad Kourdi, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025 In a statement posted to Instagram Thursday, Parton mourned Dean's death. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025 Blake Lively, Chace Crawford, and more Gossip Girl alums mourn Michelle Trachtenberg after her death Trachtenberg was known primarily for her work in front of the camera. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mourn

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of mourn was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mourn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mourn. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

mourn

verb
ˈmō(ə)rn How to pronounce mourn (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on mourn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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