mourning

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈmɔrnɪŋ/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The expression of deep sorrow for someone who has died; the period during which such sorrow is expressed.; Black clothes or other garments worn as a sign of grief for a dead person.; The act of lamenting or grieving over a loss, not necessarily death.
  2. adjective
    Relating to or used in mourning; associated with grief for the dead.

🔗 Details

Word forms

3rd sing.: mourns Past: mourned Past part.: mourned Pres part.: mourning

Collocations

mourn the deadmourn the loss ofmourn for someonemourn overmourn in silence

Derivatives

mourningmournfulmournfullymournfulnessmourner

Synonyms

grievelamentbewailbemoansorrow

Antonyms

rejoicecelebrate

Commonly confused

morning
EN: 'Morning' is the early part of the day; 'mourning' is the expression of grief for the dead.
grieve
EN: 'Grieve' is more general and internal (feeling sorrow); 'mourn' often implies outward expression of sorrow, especially for the dead.

Spelling tips

EN: Do not confuse 'mourning' (grief) with 'morning' (time of day). The 'u' in 'mourning' links it to 'mourn'.

💬 Examples

  1. The country declared three days of mourning after the president's death.

  2. In Victorian times, widows were expected to wear mourning for at least two years.

  3. There was widespread mourning over the destruction of the historic building.

  4. She wore a mourning veil to the funeral.