mourn

1 of 2

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

mourner

2 of 2

noun

mourn·​er

-nə(r)

plural -s

1

a

: one that mourns

the book business has outlived most of its mourners

—Aaron Sussman

especially : one who attends a funeral out of respect or affection for the deceased

when he died, the wayward boys he had befriended were among his chief mourners

b

: one hired to attend a funeral or wail for the dead

mourners were provided to attend the funeral

—Roger L'Estrange

2

: one that publicly repents of his sins at a revival meeting

asks for mourners to come up and be saved

—J. H. Stuart

Synonyms of mourn

Verb

• grieve

Examples of mourn in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

Batty, having reached the end of his four-year life cycle (and subsequent run from the law as a fugitive of planet Earth), recalls his journeys through space and mourns these memories being lost more than his own death. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 24 July 2026

There was no immediate sign of unrest ‌on Thursday after Ben-Gvir’s visit on Tisha ‌B’Av, a day of fasting and lament in Judaism mourning the destruction of the ancient Jewish temples. — Reuters, NBC news, 23 July 2026

In Ozone Park, where her family lived, neighbors mourned and remembered her. — William J. Broad Nate Schweber Shane Goldmacher David Gelles, New York Times, 23 July 2026

In 1969, a tragic incident in the Mission District took Officer Joseph Brodnik’s life, leaving a community in mourning. — William Jones, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English morener, from mournen, mornen to mourn + -er

First Known Use

Verb

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