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
Rather than being a mournful movie about dying, Benna’s film pinpoints how to live and find joy and tears out of a terminal situation.
—
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
His villains were flamboyant, but Bruce was mournful, reluctant — no onscreen superhero has more palpably wrestled with not wanting to be a superhero.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
Such memories flowed freely this week on social media and in mournful first-person essays.
—Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Newsom shakes his head, seeming more mournful than angry.
—Maya Singer, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mournful
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
His villains were flamboyant, but Bruce was mournful, reluctant — no onscreen superhero has more palpably wrestled with not wanting to be a superhero.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
Such memories flowed freely this week on social media and in mournful first-person essays.
—Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Newsom shakes his head, seeming more mournful than angry.
—Maya Singer, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
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
-
There were enough people in the room who were sad about the kid.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
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And that’s really sad, because the latest gen is a genuinely fantastic car.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Knicks went on to defeat the tanking, depleted Grizzlies handily, a 130-119 win good enough to snap a depressing three-game losing streak against the Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Far from a depressing gray room located in a basement, The Bridge and its massive windows put a spotlight on the natural beauty of Hong Kong.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In a news release shared by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, investigators said that they were made aware of several theft victims who had things stolen from their cars while attending funeral services at the cemetery, which is located in the 22000 block of Van Buren Boulevard.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Cyrene then instructs her son to appease the nymphs, Eurydice’s companions, and to make funeral offerings to Eurydice’s husband Orpheus.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Auriemma was apparently unhappy with the officiating in the game and the disparity in free throw shooting.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
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Despite the changes, some in the Senate were still unhappy with the final iteration.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The politicians who shut down the government are pathetic on both sides of the aisle.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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His Floyd constantly straddles the line between sweet and pathetic, often falling off one side or the other.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Jesse O’Hara, said his clients were distraught and heartbroken over the treatment of their baby.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
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Fayez Dakkak, a third-generation Muslim storeowner in the Old City whose shop has catered to Christian pilgrims since 1942, said he was heartbroken over Al Aqsa's closure during the Islamic holy month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
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There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mournful. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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