mourning

[ mawr-ning, mohr- ]

noun

1. the act of a person who mourns; sorrowing or lamentation.

   Antonyms: rejoicing

2. the conventional manifestation of sorrow for a person's death, especially by the wearing of black clothes or a black armband, the hanging of flags at half-mast, etc.
3. the outward symbols of such sorrow, as black garments.
4. the period or interval during which a person grieves or formally expresses grief, as by wearing black garments.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or used in mourning.

mourning

/ ˈmɔːnɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or feelings of one who mourns; grief
2. the conventional symbols of grief, such as the wearing of black
3. the period of time during which a death is officially mourned
4. in mourning
   observing the conventions of mourning

adjective

1. of or relating to mourning

Derived Forms

• ˈmourningly, adverb

Other Words From

• mourning·ly adverb
• un·mourning adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mourning¹

before 900; Middle English (noun, adj.); Old English murnung (noun). See mourn, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

President Alberto Fernández announced three days of national mourning.

From Washington Post

With the Wendt Center, he also developed a grief and mourning program for students in Washington public schools.

From Washington Post

The passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month sent the country into a state of mourning and also political chaos, two elements that many felt were at odds with one another.

From Fortune

By the time the pandemic fully swept over New York City this spring, Electric’s employees were already in mourning.

From Fortune

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sent waves of shock across the country on Friday evening, leading to mass mourning on what would typically be a day of celebration, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

From Fortune

He said that the NYPD will be in deepest mourning this Christmas season.

From The Daily Beast

The late-November hacking of Sony, perhaps the most vicious episode of its kind, comes at the end of the period of mourning.

From The Daily Beast

Now that the Confucian-inspired mourning period is over, the son is free to embark on his own programs and policies.

From The Daily Beast

Soon after Abu Ein died, the Palestinian Authority announced three days of mourning.

From The Daily Beast

A Fish and Wildlife special agent collected the bodies of two birds at the site, a redhead duck and a mourning dove.

From The Daily Beast

The farewell and the mourning are finished by the slaughter of dogs, that the dying man may have forerunners in the other world.

From Project Gutenberg

I am thankful that prolonged mourning is out of date; it made a fright of me and was getting on my nerves.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, it made me understand for the first time that even a Bank Holiday need not be a day of wrath and mourning.

From Project Gutenberg

Looking through this hole, the king perceived an old man weeping, a man in mourning garb singing, and a nun or widow dancing.

From Project Gutenberg

Then through a hole in the door I saw an old man crying, a dancing nun, and a man in mourning singing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• grief