ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mournful

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmɔɹnfəɫ// UK //mˈɔːnfəl// mourn·ful

adj. feeling or showing deep sadness. You use this to describe someone who is very upset, like after a death, or a sound that is very sad to hear.

adj. expressing or feeling deep sorrow and grief. Often describes a person's demeanor or a sound that evokes a sense of loss.


SIMPLE

The dog gave a mournful howl in the middle of the night.

CONTEXTUAL

The crowd stood in a mournful silence as the funeral procession passed through the village square.

COMPLEX

The composer used a low, mournful melody to capture the protagonist's sense of isolation and regret after the long journey home.

Synonyms
Origin

From mourn + -ful.

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