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
Arnold Bennett
b
: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown
after a long mourning, resume their ordinary dresses—Henry Reed
Henry ReedExamples 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
Communities across Florida, South Dakota, New York, and Connecticut, are observing a period of mourning this weekend, as official orders have directed flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of local and national figures.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
The guards honored the late Black Sabbath rocker on the day of his funeral procession in Birmingham, England, where crowds lined the streets in a reaction reminiscent of the public mourning of a royal death.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 31 July 2025
Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko declared August 1 a day of mourning in remembrance of the victims.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
When loss is minimized or discounted Psychologists describe this kind of unacknowledged loss as disenfranchised grief: a form of mourning that isn’t fully recognized by social norms or institutions.
—Brian N. Chin, The Conversation, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mourning
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Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
The guards honored the late Black Sabbath rocker on the day of his funeral procession in Birmingham, England, where crowds lined the streets in a reaction reminiscent of the public mourning of a royal death.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 31 July 2025
Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko declared August 1 a day of mourning in remembrance of the victims.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
When loss is minimized or discounted Psychologists describe this kind of unacknowledged loss as disenfranchised grief: a form of mourning that isn’t fully recognized by social norms or institutions.
—Brian N. Chin, The Conversation, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mourning
Cite this Entry
“Mourning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mourning. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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