1
: expressing sorrow : sorrowful
2
: full of sorrow : sad
3
: causing sorrow or melancholy : gloomy
mournfulness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of mournful in a Sentence
she had such a mournful expression that someone teasingly asked if her dog had died
the mournful survivors of the disaster were faced with the grim task of burying the dead
Recent Examples on the Web
Black smoke from firecrackers drifted across the blue sky, and the calm of the square outside the church was broken by the mournful martial thud of drums and the asthmatic hiss of trombones.
—
Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Far from a mournful affair, the holiday is a time of celebration and warmth.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2023
As Wojnarowicz got closer to Hujar and deeper into his art, the tone of the conversation with Jean-Pierre began to sound more mournful, and doubt crept in.
—David O’Neill, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2023
Instead, the tone is mournful, suffused with dread and regret.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023
Maxim Jacobs, 48, said the mood was mournful during Saturday morning services at his synagogue in New Jersey, with worshippers worried about family in Israel.
—Bobby Caina Calvan, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2023
Indeed, many of the essays here are mournful if not outright eulogistic.
—Jonathan Russell Clark, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
An illustration of his dear friend Prince, depicted in mournful purple rain, on a yellowing copy of the Village Voice from the week the musician died in 2016.
—Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
But that anger frequently gets in the way of the thematic richness that gave The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass their mournful charge.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2023
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Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Far from a mournful affair, the holiday is a time of celebration and warmth.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2023
As Wojnarowicz got closer to Hujar and deeper into his art, the tone of the conversation with Jean-Pierre began to sound more mournful, and doubt crept in.
—David O’Neill, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2023
Instead, the tone is mournful, suffused with dread and regret.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023
Maxim Jacobs, 48, said the mood was mournful during Saturday morning services at his synagogue in New Jersey, with worshippers worried about family in Israel.
—Bobby Caina Calvan, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2023
Indeed, many of the essays here are mournful if not outright eulogistic.
—Jonathan Russell Clark, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
An illustration of his dear friend Prince, depicted in mournful purple rain, on a yellowing copy of the Village Voice from the week the musician died in 2016.
—Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
But that anger frequently gets in the way of the thematic richness that gave The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass their mournful charge.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mournful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of mournful was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near mournful
Cite this Entry
“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mournful. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
mournful
adjective
mourn·ful
ˈmō(ə)rn-fəl 
ˈmȯ(ə)rn-
1
: expressing or full of sorrow : sorrowful
a mournful face
2
: causing sorrow
a mournful story
mournfulness
noun
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