noun
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a person who mourns, esp at a funeral
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(at US revivalist meetings) a person who repents publicly
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mourner
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at mourn, -er 1
Explanation
Anyone who is grieving for a person who has died is a mourner. Funerals give mourners the opportunity to remember and say goodbye to a loved one. While a mourner is anyone who mourns someone's death, the word is often used to mean "person attending a funeral." In some cultures, throughout history, professional mourners were people who were hired to publicly display their grief at the funeral of some well-known figure. Today, most mourners are family members and friends — people who knew the person well and grieve their death.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Another mourner cited the product’s affordability, lamenting that Minute Maid’s frozen juice concentrates were “a must” for households that relied on WIC/SNAP benefits.
From Salon ● Feb. 6, 2026
"I wasn't there myself, but I had many friends and relatives who were," said one young mourner, who gave his surname as Orosstevic.
From Barron's ● Jan. 1, 2026
One mourner called KitKat ‘the best city bodega cat anyone could ever ask for. His lil pet requests meant a lot for some of us.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2025
"Even in the grave, he still remains our hero," one mourner told the AFP news agency.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2025
An occasional tear rolls down Lainie Burgess’s cheek but she greets each mourner with a smile and thanks them for attending.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
The two other mourners killed, Vincent Ogutu and Jidah Burka, were at least 160m away, in the opposite stands, far removed from the pavilion.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
The Catholic service, conducted in Armenian, was open-casket, allowing mourners a final chance to say goodbye as they filed by the altar at the conclusion of the ceremony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Thousands of mourners lined the streets as the king's casket was transported to the royal tombs in Fort Portal where a private ceremony took place.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
When Zhou died in January 1976, hundreds of thousands of mourners poured into Tiananmen Square with wreaths and poems, a spontaneous outpouring that the ailing Mao’s allies saw as a challenge to their authority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
More than eight thousand mourners, including eight hundred clergy of both races, attended the service.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
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