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
b
: a period of time during which signs of grief are shown
… after a long mourning, resume their ordinary dresses.—Henry Reed
Examples 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
A day of national mourning in Switzerland Carrying a bucket filled with white roses, Azeddine Mekrabech made his way to Crans-Montana on Friday as Switzerland remembered the dozens who died in the New Year fire tragedy.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Swiss authorities have designated Friday a national day of mourning and church bells rang out across the country to honour victims.
—Reuters, NBC news, 9 Jan. 2026
And while Nixon did not want an official state funeral, he was honored as a beloved elder statesman, complete with a daylong period of national mourning.
—Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
The death toll for Venezuelan security officials comes after Cuba’s government announced Sunday that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela had died in the operation, prompting two days of mourning on the Caribbean island.
—Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mourning
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Cite this Entry
“Mourning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mourning. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Kids 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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