mourning

noun

mourn·​ing ˈmȯr-niŋ How to pronounce mourning (audio)
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 mourningArnold Bennett
b
: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown
after a long mourning, resume their ordinary dressesHenry 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With no mourning clothes in her luggage, the Queen had to remain on her plane after landing in London until an all-black outfit was delivered. Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 11 Oct. 2025 For Israelis, the overwhelming sense is that their country has become ever more isolated on the world stage, even as its people remain in mourning. Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025 Now, all that was gone, leaving fans worldwide in mourning and Markle with an unfinished film. Simon Bland, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2025 Zion Regev, a municipal leader, read out an adapted version of the traditional Jewish prayer of mourning. New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mourning

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mourning was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mourning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mourning. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

mourning

noun
mourn·​ing ˈmōr-niŋ How to pronounce mourning (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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