MOURNFUL Synonyms: 239 Similar and Opposite Words

mournful

adjective

ˈmȯrn-fəl

Definition of mournful

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

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in depressing

causing unhappiness the mournful death of a beloved entertainer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of mournful But the production here betrays its economy, and the direction, by Garth Davis and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, remains earthbound, held down by mournful strings and devoid of color. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Part of it was the circumstances of his death and the mournful public procession through Brooklyn. — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026 These pauses also give the documentary an air of mournful respect, making its pace more deliberate than the standard talking heads-doc that might be mistaken as a stylistic counterpart. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Since his siblings were crying with the same mournful expression, clinging to their father’s corpse, Shoichiro willed himself to cry too, and the tears came immediately. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mournful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mournful

Adjective

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
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.

— Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021

Definition of weeping

Adjective

State Drive, an ugly black roadway, separates the Science Center and its new addition from the park’s Rose Garden, and serves as a sad connector to the rest of the park.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
As more details came out, the sad truth of Perry’s relapses and drug hustle emerged.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

Maybe the most vivid reminder was what happened after a similarly depressing defeat in 2021 in the last game in which Mahomes played and the Chiefs managed only a field goal.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
In another depressing week for the UK’s public broadcaster, there were more cuts, talk of even more cuts and programs scrapped, as the BBC’s desperate bid to make the books work continues under former Google EMEA chief Matt Brittin.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of depressing

Adjective

The broadcaster reported that more than a hundred people had gathered in and around the church for a funeral procession.

— Mohamad El Chamaa, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Talking about wills, medical wishes, funeral arrangements or who will handle the finances if a parent becomes incapacitated can feel intrusive, particularly when a parent is still healthy and independent.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of funeral

Adjective

Many of the women in the packed courtroom gallery appeared unhappy when the sentences were rendered.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
Andy’s view Almost 14 years into Xi Jinping’s norm-busting reign, just about everybody is unhappy with his economy.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

The woman never brought Melissa back, leaving a heartbroken Apantenco wondering what had become of her baby.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Mike Sweeney’s tutor Royals Hall of Famer Mike Sweeney was heartbroken to learn of Benzinger’s passing.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of heartbroken

Adjective

Celebrated as masterpieces today, at the time they were regarded as the unpolished works of a depressed, crazy man and commercially worthless.

— Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
In the event of a severe winter or import bottlenecks, depressed storage levels not only narrow Europe's capacity to absorb supply shocks but also risk driving natural gas prices higher.

— , CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of depressed

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mourned

mournful

mournfully

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“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mournful. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mournful

adjective

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