1
as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning
she had such a mournful expression that someone teasingly asked if her dog had died
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the mournful survivors of the disaster were faced with the grim task of burying the dead
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3
as in depressing
causing unhappiness
the mournful death of a beloved entertainer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mournful
Sartorially rising to the occasion in her mournful ensemble, Middleton added sentimental pieces that honored another late member of the British royal family.
—
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
And less than 24 hours after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University, Welles dropped a mournful ballad about the incident.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2025
Similarly, the discreetly mournful compositions of Giorgio Matteo and Aki Oliviero’s score hover politely on the periphery of the (in)action, careful not to intrude.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
His narration is a constant pleasure — mournful, wry, and suffused with a world-weary poetry.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mournful
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
And less than 24 hours after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University, Welles dropped a mournful ballad about the incident.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2025
Similarly, the discreetly mournful compositions of Giorgio Matteo and Aki Oliviero’s score hover politely on the periphery of the (in)action, careful not to intrude.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
His narration is a constant pleasure — mournful, wry, and suffused with a world-weary poetry.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mournful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mournful
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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Is this a deeply sad, award-winning tearjerker of a drama?—
James Factora,
Them.,
26 Sep. 2025
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The schism that developed between Ric and Ben is a very sad part of the story.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Coordinating your exhales with the pressing, depressing, pulling and lifting phases of these exercises enhances activation of the scapular stabilizing muscles and reinforces proper rib cage alignment.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
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Closing The Gap The racial wealth gap in America remains depressing, and homeownership is one of the clearest indicators of it.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Copeland’s mother, Maria Copeland, posted about her daughter’s funeral arrangements on Facebook.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
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The boy was identified as Jeremiah Gonzalez on the page, which his family started to help with funeral costs.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Smart, much like Georgia’s fan base, is pretty unhappy after yet another loss to Alabama.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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While there are reasons to be unhappy with the performance, each win in the NFL is hard to get.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Characters can be pathetic, and frank about their Toledo Truth Teller’s bleak prospects.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
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Jimmy Kimmel is a pathetic hate monger.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The most painful part, the tragedy of our lives, was that Brenda was heartbroken.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
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This isn't the first time the internet has been left heartbroken when a dog didn't want to play.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The writer, known for her trailblazing work in confessional poetry, was clinically depressed and died by suicide at age 30.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
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Barbeau had been living alone, depressed and isolated since Jessica’s death.—
Jon Michael Varese,
The Atlantic,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mournful. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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