# grieving

/ˈɡɹivɪŋ/ (US) · /ɡɹˈiːvɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grieving
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. feeling deep sorrow

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling or showing great sadness because someone has died.

For teachers: feeling or expressing profound sorrow or distress, specifically following the death of a loved one or a significant loss.

- The grieving family asked for privacy while they dealt with their loss.
- The grieving widow found solace in the community support she received during the difficult months following the accident.

### 2. the process of mourning

noun · CEFR B2

the act of feeling and showing great sadness after a loss.

For teachers: the psychological and emotional process of experiencing grief. Uncountable in this abstract sense.

- Grieving is a natural process that takes time for everyone.
- Psychologists suggest that healthy grieving involves acknowledging the pain rather than suppressing it to meet social expectations.

## Examples

- The grieving family asked for privacy during the funeral.
- She spent months grieving her father's passing before she felt ready to return to her social life.
- While the grieving process is deeply personal and lacks a fixed timeline, many find that sharing memories of the deceased provides a necessary outlet for their emotional burden.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.