mourning
Americannoun
-
the act of a person who mourns; sorrowing or lamentation.
- Antonyms:
- rejoicing
-
the conventional manifestation of sorrow for a person's death, especially by the wearing of black clothes or a black armband, the hanging of flags at half-mast, etc.
-
the outward symbols of such sorrow, as black garments.
-
the period or interval during which a person grieves or formally expresses grief, as by wearing black garments.
adjective
noun
-
the act or feelings of one who mourns; grief
-
the conventional symbols of grief, such as the wearing of black
-
the period of time during which a death is officially mourned
-
observing the conventions of mourning
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of mourning
before 900; Middle English (noun, adj.); Old English murnung (noun). See mourn, -ing 1, -ing 2
Explanation
Mourning is a time of sadness because of a loss. When you're in mourning after a loved one dies, it is good to lean on your friends who understand why you are so sad. Mourning is an expression of grief or a time of grieving that follows a loved one's death or other serious loss. Depression, confusion, even losing interest in friends and social activities all can occur when someone is in mourning. An old-fashioned meaning of mourning is specifically the black clothing people traditionally wear following a death. Don't confuse mourning with morning, the early part of the day.
Vocabulary lists containing mourning
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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Ghost Boys
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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.
The senator’s son, Ivan Cepeda, channeled his mourning into a political mission that could realize his father’s Communist dreams.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
The family of the ship's captain, Ashish Kumar Singh, 38, from the eastern state of Bihar, is mourning his death.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
“The Sheep Detectives” is both a powerful story about mourning and a warning against the peril of mindwiping inconvenient histories.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
Kyiv was marking a day of mourning on Friday for the 24 victims of the strike.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
I thought about him pouring a hundred vials into the ground, one by one, mourning his partner.
From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline
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.
