1
: the act of sorrowing
She is still in mourning for her dead husband.
2
a
: an outward sign (such as black clothes or an armband) of grief for a person's death
lots of people there, and only one man in full mourning—
Arnold Bennett
Arnold Bennett
b
: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown
after a long mourning, resume their ordinary dresses—Henry Reed
Henry ReedExamples of mourning in a Sentence
a day of national mourning
She is still in mourning for her dead husband.
The whole town was in mourning.
a period of deep mourning
His widow was dressed in mourning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Loyola players decided after much reflection and mourning to play Friday’s Southern Section Open Division playoff match against Harvard-Westlake.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
Ask Them to Tell You Their Stories This lack of acknowledgment underscores a broader societal discomfort with sustained mourning.
—Rebecca Soffer, Time, 10 May 2025
Pouring her heart onto the page in a deeply personal journey through mourning, hoping, and recovery.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 9 May 2025
In Italy, soccer matches were rescheduled to honor the national period of mourning, and players and coaches from AS Roma filed into St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects.
—Carmen M. Nanko-Fernández, The Conversation, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mourning
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Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
Ask Them to Tell You Their Stories This lack of acknowledgment underscores a broader societal discomfort with sustained mourning.
—Rebecca Soffer, Time, 10 May 2025
Pouring her heart onto the page in a deeply personal journey through mourning, hoping, and recovery.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 9 May 2025
In Italy, soccer matches were rescheduled to honor the national period of mourning, and players and coaches from AS Roma filed into St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects.
—Carmen M. Nanko-Fernández, The Conversation, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mourning
Cite this Entry
“Mourning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mourning. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mourning
noun
mourn·ing
ˈmōr-niŋ 
ˈmȯr-
1
: the act of grieving
2
: an outward sign (as black clothes or a black arm band) of grief for a person's death
to wear mourning
3
: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown
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