mourning
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the feeling or expression of great sadness because someone has died.
the process or state of expressing grief after a death, often involving formal or public observances.
Simple“The whole nation was in mourning after the beloved leader passed away.”
In context“The period of official mourning lasted for ten days, during which all flags were flown at half-mast and public festivities were cancelled.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'in' to describe a state of being.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
special dark clothes, usually black, that you wear to show you are sad about a death.
conventional garments or symbols, typically black in Western cultures, worn as a sign of bereavement.
Simple“She wore deep mourning for a year after her husband died.”
In context“In the Victorian era, strict social codes dictated the specific fabrics and styles of mourning that a widow was expected to wear.”
UsageUsually uncountable in this sense; often appears in the phrase 'in mourning'.
Synonymswidow's weedsblack
“Shame blocks mourning, and you cannot grieve what you blame yourself for.”
“It added that the racing was stopped and the scheduled podium ceremony would not take place as a sign of "respect and mourning".”
By surface analysis, mourn + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.