# mourning

/ˈmɔɹnɪŋ/ (US) · /mˈɔːnɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mourning
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. grief and sorrow

noun · CEFR B2

the feeling or expression of great sadness because someone has died.

For teachers: the process or state of expressing grief after a death, often involving formal or public observances.

- The whole nation was in mourning after the beloved leader passed away.
- The period of official mourning lasted for ten days, during which all flags were flown at half-mast and public festivities were cancelled.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'in' to describe a state of being.

### 2. traditional clothes

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

special dark clothes, usually black, that you wear to show you are sad about a death.

For teachers: conventional garments or symbols, typically black in Western cultures, worn as a sign of bereavement.

- She wore deep mourning for a year after her husband died.
- In the Victorian era, strict social codes dictated the specific fabrics and styles of mourning that a widow was expected to wear.

Usage: Usually uncountable in this sense; often appears in the phrase 'in mourning'.

## Examples

- The whole country was in mourning after the leader died.
- She wore black for several months as a traditional sign of mourning for her grandfather.
- The period of national mourning was marked by lowered flags and a series of somber public ceremonies designed to honor the late statesman's legacy.

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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.