mourn

[ mawrn, mohrn ]

verb (used without object)

1. to feel or express sorrow or grief.

   Synonyms: bemoan, bewail

   Antonyms: rejoice, laugh

2. to grieve or lament for the dead.
3. to show the conventional or usual signs of sorrow over a person's death.

verb (used with object)

1. to feel or express sorrow or grief over (misfortune, loss, or anything regretted); deplore.
2. to grieve or lament over (the dead).
3. to utter in a sorrowful manner.

mourn

/ mɔːn /

verb

1. to feel or express sadness for the death or loss of (someone or something)
2. intr to observe the customs of mourning, as by wearing black
3. tr to grieve over (loss or misfortune)

Other Words From

• over·mourn verb
• un·mourned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mourn¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English mo(u)rnen, Old English murnan; cognate with Old High German mornēn, Old Norse morna, Gothic maurnan

Word History and Origins

Origin of mourn¹

Old English murnan; compare Old High German mornēn to be troubled, Gothic maurnan to grieve, Greek mermeros worried

Synonym Study

See grieve.

Example Sentences

For them, it was an epic loss, one that Ann Coulter, Tucker Carlson and others would still be mourning a decade later.

From Salon

Tesco's advert features a man called Gary who is trying to celebrate Christmas while mourning his grandmother.

From BBC

The Dance Theatre of Harlem also mourned the “icon and legend.”

From Los Angeles Times

He also mourned for the residents who lost everything.

From Los Angeles Times

The film company New Line Cinema mourned Todd’s death on social media over the weekend:

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ache
• agonize
• bemoan
• complain
• cry
• deplore
• fret
• grieve
• lament
• moan
• regret
• sob
• wail
• weep
• yearn