mournful

adjective

mourn·​ful ˈmȯrn-fəl How to pronounce mournful (audio)
1
: expressing sorrow : sorrowful
2
: full of sorrow : sad
3
: causing sorrow or melancholy : gloomy
mournfully adverb
mournfulness noun

Examples of mournful in a Sentence

she had such a mournful expression that someone teasingly asked if her dog had died the mournful survivors of the disaster were faced with the grim task of burying the dead
Recent Examples on the Web
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That undoubtedly contributes to the mournful feeling that has enveloped Númenor, which is still dealing with the death of King Tar-Palantir and the fallout of Mount Doom’s eruption, including Míriel’s loss of sight. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024 Soon a mournful blue light would rise over the islands in the sea. Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024 Of all on this list, perhaps this is the most mournful. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 16 Oct. 2024 That’s to take nothing away from Jackman, who’s terrific as the aging, mournful superhero who has one last big mission in him before riding off into the sunset. Will Leitch, Vulture, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for mournful 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mournful was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mournful

Cite this Entry

“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mournful. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

mournful

adjective
mourn·​ful ˈmō(ə)rn-fəl How to pronounce mournful (audio)
ˈmȯ(ə)rn-
1
: expressing or full of sorrow : sorrowful
a mournful face
2
: causing sorrow
a mournful story
mournfully adverb
mournfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mournful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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