mournful

[ mawrn-fuhl, mohrn- ]

adjective

1. feeling or expressing sorrow or grief; sorrowful; sad.
2. of or relating to mourning mourning for the dead.
3. causing grief or lament:

   a mournful occasion.

4. gloomy, somber, or dreary, as in appearance or character:

   mournful shadows.

mournful

/ ˈmɔːnfʊl /

adjective

1. evoking grief; sorrowful
2. gloomy; sad

Derived Forms

• ˈmournfulness, noun
• ˈmournfully, adverb

Other Word Forms

• mournful·ly adverb
• mournful·ness noun
• over·mournful adjective
• over·mournful·ly adverb
• over·mournful·ness noun
• un·mournful adjective
• un·mournful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of mournful¹

First recorded in 1375–1425, mournful is from the late Middle English word morneful. See mourn, -ful

Example Sentences

Now it’s a destination for the mournful and desperate.

From Los Angeles Times

The UK's Financial Times published a mournful requiem for the great post-war alliance the other day which ended with these words:

From Salon

People have these associations of him with this sort of mournful acoustic stuff.

From Los Angeles Times

Woke up a little mournful about the fact that Otto will die someday, despite the fact that he still plays like a puppy.

From Salon

“He said, ‘Julee, you are a child full of wonder,’” said Cruise, who also performed the dreamy, mournful “The World Spins” on the series.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anguished
• forlorn
• sad