mourn

[mawrn, mohrn]

verb (used without object)

1. to feel or express sorrow or grief.

   Synonyms: bemoan, bewail
   Antonyms: rejoice, laugh

2. to grieve or lament for the dead.

3. to show the conventional or usual signs of sorrow over a person's death.

verb (used with object)

1. to feel or express sorrow or grief over (misfortune, loss, or anything regretted); deplore.

2. to grieve or lament over (the dead).

3. to utter in a sorrowful manner.

mourn

/ mɔːn /

verb

1. to feel or express sadness for the death or loss of (someone or something)

2. (intr) to observe the customs of mourning, as by wearing black

3. (tr) to grieve over (loss or misfortune)

Other Word Forms

• overmourn verb
• unmourned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mourn¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English mo(u)rnen, Old English murnan; cognate with Old High German mornēn, Old Norse morna, Gothic maurnan

Word History and Origins

Origin of mourn¹

Old English murnan; compare Old High German mornēn to be troubled, Gothic maurnan to grieve, Greek mermeros worried

Synonym Study

See grieve.

Example Sentences

He said he has been in Los Angeles with family, mourning the death of his father.

From Los Angeles Times

The United Nations said it mourned the loss Dr Goodall, saying that she "worked tirelessly for our planet and all its inhabitants, leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity and nature".

From BBC

This is, to some degree, a natural part of mourning.

From Salon

Other pictures showed people mourning beside at least six bodies in white shrouds and plastic bags laid on the floor outside al-Ahli hospital.

From BBC

The state has declared three days of mourning, with several prominent personalities including politicians, musicians and hordes of fans from across the region travelling to Guwahati to pay their last respects to the singer.

From BBC

Related Words

• ache 
• agonize 
• bemoan 
• complain 
• cry 
• deplore 
• fret 
• grieve 
• lament 
• moan 
• regret 
• sob 
• wail 
• weep 
• yearn