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
The most affecting parts of When the Light Breaks unfold between Una and Klara, two young women whose respective mourning processes, at first, seem to wrestle for the group’s attention.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
When the two women meet, awkwardly thrown together by their friends’ collective mourning, a sense of mutual loss supersedes any confession or explanation.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mourning 
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
When the two women meet, awkwardly thrown together by their friends’ collective mourning, a sense of mutual loss supersedes any confession or explanation.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mourning
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mourning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mourning
Cite this Entry
“Mourning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mourning. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
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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