1
as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning
she had such a mournful expression that someone teasingly asked if her dog had died
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the mournful survivors of the disaster were faced with the grim task of burying the dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in depressing
causing unhappiness
the mournful death of a beloved entertainer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of mournful
The Defender published several obituaries, mournful but proud.
—
Victor Luckerson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025
Trump, meanwhile, drew the public’s attention for wearing a dark blue suit and a lighter blue tie in a sea of mournful black attire.
—Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
The slow, mournful piano chords capture the somber bite of the scene with remarkable punch yet also a sobering stillness, and that’s before the elegiac words carry the song off into the sky.
—Daniel Dylan Wray, Pitchfork, 8 May 2025
Wynette’s mournful lyrics about a partner who has left—will one protagonist leave the other during the game’s main campaign?—to the sound of lonely, sad acoustic country music is the flip side of Wang Chung’s carefree spirit.
—Brady Gerber, Vulture, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mournful
Victor Luckerson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025
Trump, meanwhile, drew the public’s attention for wearing a dark blue suit and a lighter blue tie in a sea of mournful black attire.
—Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
The slow, mournful piano chords capture the somber bite of the scene with remarkable punch yet also a sobering stillness, and that’s before the elegiac words carry the song off into the sky.
—Daniel Dylan Wray, Pitchfork, 8 May 2025
Wynette’s mournful lyrics about a partner who has left—will one protagonist leave the other during the game’s main campaign?—to the sound of lonely, sad acoustic country music is the flip side of Wang Chung’s carefree spirit.
—Brady Gerber, Vulture, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mournful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mournful
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Banks: There’s a reason why the theater [symbol] is a happy face/sad face.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
-
To some, this may sound bizarre, laughable, or even just plain sad.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
All that matters is whether Dance Mom, a character designed in a lab to be a depressing punchline, pulls in just enough of the always-online demo to boost their numbers among younger viewers.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
30 May 2025
-
Music was a way to showcase something that wasn’t depressing.—
Ramin Setoodeh,
Variety,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Bright red ribbons decorate the trees and signposts of northwest suburban Niles in anticipation of a funeral procession and service today to honor Chicago Fire Department Capt. David Meyer, who was killed last week while battling a suspicious garage fire in the Austin neighborhood.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
-
The funeral Mass for Pope Francis was attended by many world leaders including President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Additionally, the more fiscally conservative Senate is increasingly unhappy with the cost of the bill, which is estimated to add $3.1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Trump is unhappy with Musk’s outburst, but Republicans are downplaying the effect on their agenda bill Trump confirmed their relationship has soured, with Musk repeatedly blasting the president’s sweeping domestic agenda bill in recent days and a public fight on social media on Thursday.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone who tells you different is a liar (and pathetic, and alone in life).—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2025
-
The politicized fantasy and horror films by Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele are merely pathetic.—
Armond White,
National Review,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Courtesy of Lionsgate The heartbroken little girl with the ballerina music box will grow up to be Ana de Armas’ Eve Macarro, a young woman bent on—what else?—avenging her father’s murder.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
6 June 2025
-
The second track on the LP told the story of a heartbroken barmaid pining after a sailor who refused to give up his nomadically maritime lifestyle for her.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
What would Georgia wear in her most depressed state?—
Hedy Phillips,
People.com,
16 June 2025
-
That can put them on edge and heighten their separation anxiety, Langan said, and if their owners are depressed or grief-stricken about loss and uncertainty, the animals absorb those emotions too.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mournful. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share