mourn
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to feel or express sorrow or grief over (misfortune, loss, or anything regretted); deplore.
-
to grieve or lament over (the dead).
-
to utter in a sorrowful manner.
verb
-
to feel or express sadness for the death or loss of (someone or something)
-
(intr) to observe the customs of mourning, as by wearing black
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(tr) to grieve over (loss or misfortune)
Related Words
See grieve.
Other Word Forms
- overmourn verb
- unmourned adjective
Etymology
Origin of mourn
First recorded before 900; Middle English mo(u)rnen, Old English murnan; cognate with Old High German mornēn, Old Norse morna, Gothic maurnan
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.
Yet Mahajan’s individualistic Chopras each still celebrate and mourn.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
Xander Harris may have been the “normal” one in a cast of extraordinary characters, but Brendon’s performance ensured he was unforgettable — both to fans and to the colleagues who mourn his passing.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
I mourn for all the children who lost years of critical education during COVID-19.
From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026
No doubt there will be setbacks and more losses, like those of the fallen we already mourn.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
“Empire soldiers who died in battle, who died with honor. I’ll celebrate them. I’ll mourn them. But I won't regret what I did. I did it for the Empire. I did it for my people.”
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
