mournful

adjective

mourn·​ful ˈmȯrn-fəl 

1

: expressing sorrow : sorrowful

2

: full of sorrow : sad

3

: causing sorrow or melancholy : gloomy

mournfully

ˈmȯrn-fə-lē 

adverb

mournfulness noun

Synonyms

• aching
• agonized
• anguished
• bemoaning
• bewailing
• bitter
• deploring
• doleful
• dolesome
• dolorous
• funeral
• grieving
• heartbroken
• lamentable
• lugubrious
• plaintive
• plangent
• regretful
• rueful
• sorrowful
• sorry
• wailing
• weeping
• woeful

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

At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Season four will be the last for The Righteous Gemstones, and there are signs in this mournful (and vulgar/hilarious) episode that this extremely American empire may be going the way of Kelvin’s treehouse. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025

Aselton plays Erin, whose mood at first veers with annoying abruptness between mournful and happy. —Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025

Demons have extra depth from noises that range between tortured and mournful. —Matt Gardner, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mournful

• scornful

Kids Definition

mournful

adjective

mourn·​ful ˈmō(ə)rn-fəl 

ˈmȯ(ə)rn-

1

: expressing or full of sorrow : sorrowful

a mournful face

2

: causing sorrow

a mournful story

mournfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

mournfulness noun