mourn

verb

ˈmȯrn 

mourned; mourning; mourns

intransitive verb

1

: to feel or express grief or sorrow

When he dies, people throughout the world will mourn.

—often used with for

thousands mourned for him

2

: to show the customary signs of grief for a death

especially : to wear mourning

mourned for thirty days in black clothes

3

: to murmur mournfully

—used especially of doves

transitive verb

1

: to feel or express grief or sorrow for

mourned the death of his son

mourning the loss of their youth

2

: to utter mournfully

… let the whirlwind mourn its requiem!

—W. S. Gilbert

mourner noun

mourningly

ˈmȯr-niŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of mourn

• grieve

Examples of mourn in a Sentence

She is still mourning her husband, who died last year.

Thousands of people mourned his death.

She was mourned by everyone who knew her.

She mourned the loss of her youth.

He still mourns the fact that he never went to college.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pfeiffer’s character, Stacy Clyburn, is mourning the death of her husband and his brother and in this scene is comforted by her best friend, Liliana (Spence). —Hilton Dresden, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026

Throughout the afternoon, hundreds of people stood in hours-long lines to donate blood At vigils throughout the city, people held candles, hugged strangers and mourned. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 June 2026

Fans mourned Tidal Force in the comments of Hersheypark's Instagram post announcing its closure. —Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026

The Walpole Police Department is mourning the loss of Rebel, its community resource dog, who leaves behind a legacy that stretches far beyond the Greater Boston suburb. —Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English murnan; akin to Old High German mornēn to mourn, Greek mermēra care — more at memory

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for mourn

• borne
• bourn
• bourne
• corn
• morn
• morne
• porn
• scorn
• shorn
• sworn
• thorn
• torn

Kids Definition

mourn

verb

ˈmō(ə)rn 

ˈmȯ(ə)rn

1

: to feel or show grief or sorrow especially over someone's death

2

: to display the customary signs of grief for a death especially by wearing mourning

mourner noun