Mourn

/mɔːrn/

verbBeginner📊CommonBusiness
1 meaning2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

1

To feel or show deep sorrow or regret, especially over the loss of someone or something.

/mɔːrn/

verbnegativeBeginner
Business

To feel or express sorrow or grief, typically over the death of someone or something.

We mourned the loss of our friend.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're really, really sad because someone you love is gone. Mourning is like when you show how sad you feel, maybe by crying or talking about them.

👶 For kids: To be very sad because someone has died or something bad has happened.

More Examples

2

She mourned for her brother who died in the war.

3

The country mourned the death of their leader.

How It's Used

General Usage

"The family mourned the loss of their beloved dog."

Literary

"The poet mourned the passing of the seasons."

Religious

"They mourned for the victims of the tragedy."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

mourn for

To feel and express grief or sorrow for someone or something lost or deceased.

"The community mourned for the victims of the tragic accident."

mourn over

To feel and express grief or sorrow over a particular person or event.

"They mourned over the destruction caused by the hurricane."

From Middle English mournen, from Old English murnan ('to be sorrowful, lament'). Related to Old High German mornen.

Historically, 'mourn' was used similarly, often in religious or literary contexts to describe deep sorrow and lamentation.

Memory tip

Think of a 'morning' when you feel down and sad.

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"to grieve, lament, be sorrowful"

mourn the lossmourn for someonemourn over somethingto mourn deeplyto mourn the dead

Common misspellings

mornmorned

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written