mourning

noun

mourn·​ing ˈmȯr-niŋ 

1

: the act of sorrowing

She is still in mourning for her dead husband.

2

a

: an outward sign (such as black clothes or an armband) of grief for a person's death

Lots of people there, and only one man in full mourning.

—Arnold Bennett

b

: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown

… after a long mourning, resume their ordinary dresses.

—Henry Reed

Examples of mourning in a Sentence

a day of national mourning

She is still in mourning for her dead husband.

The whole town was in mourning.

a period of deep mourning

His widow was dressed in mourning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their silence during the anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last Monday was viewed by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of mourning. —Yarden Segev, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026

These reactions stand in stark contrast to the 40-day mourning period put forth by the Iranian regime. —Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 Mar. 2026

Their silence during the anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last Monday was viewed by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of mourning. —ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026

In a voice note sent by the second Tehran resident on Wednesday night, the sound of pro-regime demonstrators who had gathered for the first day of official mourning for Khamenei can be heard chanting in the background. —Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mourning

• go into mourning
• mourning cloak
• mourning dove

Rhymes for mourning

• corning
• horning
• morning
• scorning
• warning
• adorning
• forewarning
• midmorning

Kids Definition

mourning

noun

mourn·​ing ˈmōr-niŋ 

ˈmȯr-

1

: the act of grieving

2

: an outward sign (as black clothes or a black arm band) of grief for a person's death

to wear mourning

3

: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown