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.
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to grieve or lament over (the dead).
-
to utter in a sorrowful manner.
verb
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to feel or express sadness for the death or loss of (someone or something)
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(intr) to observe the customs of mourning, as by wearing black
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(tr) to grieve over (loss or misfortune)
Synonym Usage
See grieve.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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mournsimple
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mournssimple
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have mournedperfect
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has mournedperfect
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am mourningprogressive
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are mourningprogressive
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is mourningprogressive
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have been mourningperfect progressive
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has been mourningperfect progressive
Past
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mournedsimple
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had mournedperfect
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was mourningprogressive
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were mourningprogressive
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had been mourningperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
To mourn is to grieve for someone who has died, especially a loved one. One of the hardest experiences of childhood is when you mourn the loss of a beloved pet. You can also mourn for things that you've lost, not only pets and people who have died. If your local library branch is forced to close, you might mourn its loss, missing being able to walk there from your house. The Old English root word of mourn is murnan, which means not only to mourn, but also to be anxious. Related words include "mourner" and "mournful."
Vocabulary lists containing mourn
Instead of "Said": Words For Sad Speech
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 14–18
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
“We mourn alongside his family, and we remain committed to bringing him home.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
"We have already lost our mother and sister-in-law who was married to my brother who is here. We have mourned a lot. We don't want to mourn any more," he told the BBC.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
"Marjane was an extraordinary artist and a charming woman who embodied the joy of creation and the sorrow of exile and painful memories. We mourn her this morning," Cannes festival supremo Thierry Fremaux told AFP.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
“We should remember it every day of our lives, and we do. We still mourn the Temples of Jerusalem.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
“We will wear white. Black is too depressing, especially that shade people wear to mourn, like burnt wood. I will lead the dance of the grandchildren.”
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
