# mourn

/ˈmɔɹn/ (US) · /mˈɔːn/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. to feel grief

verb · CEFR B2

to feel very sad because someone you love has died.

For teachers: to experience or express deep sorrow for a death. Ambitransitive — can be used with or without a direct object.

- The whole city mourned the loss of the popular mayor.
- Thousands gathered in the central square to mourn the victims of the tragedy, standing in silence for several minutes.

### 2. to regret a loss

verb · CEFR B2

to feel sad because something important has ended or changed.

For teachers: to feel or express regret or sadness over the loss or end of something non-human.

- Many people mourn the passing of the old traditions.
- Environmentalists mourn the destruction of the ancient woodland, noting that such a diverse ecosystem can never truly be replaced.

### 3. social customs

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to follow the traditional rules for showing sadness after a death, like wearing black clothes.

For teachers: to observe the conventional customs and outward signs of grief for a deceased person.

- In the past, widows were expected to mourn for at least a year.
- The nation will mourn for ten days, during which all flags will be flown at half-mast as a sign of respect.

Usage: Often used in the continuous form to describe a period of time.

## Examples

- The whole country began to mourn the loss of their leader.
- She took a week off work to mourn her father and handle his final affairs.
- While some cultures mourn in silence and isolation, others celebrate the life of the deceased with communal feasts and vibrant music to help the living process their grief.

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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.