1
as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning
she had such a mournful expression that someone teasingly asked if her dog had died
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2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the mournful survivors of the disaster were faced with the grim task of burying the dead
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3
as in depressing
causing unhappiness
the mournful death of a beloved entertainer
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Recent Examples of mournful
The poet, who died in 1976, injects mournful omniscience into explorations of heartache.
—
The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Masri's lyrics — once triumphant and upbeat — took on a more mournful tone as starvation and death became endemic in Homs.
—Jawad Rizkallah, NPR, 5 Mar. 2025
Prospective Xbox players can hear the final version of the haunting, mournful Atlamaha-ha piece in EW’s exclusive reveal of a live-action music video shot for South of Midnight.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
In the mournful mid-section, keyboardist Rick Wakeman channels Bach on the pipe organ, recorded at a London church.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mournful
The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Masri's lyrics — once triumphant and upbeat — took on a more mournful tone as starvation and death became endemic in Homs.
—Jawad Rizkallah, NPR, 5 Mar. 2025
Prospective Xbox players can hear the final version of the haunting, mournful Atlamaha-ha piece in EW’s exclusive reveal of a live-action music video shot for South of Midnight.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
In the mournful mid-section, keyboardist Rick Wakeman channels Bach on the pipe organ, recorded at a London church.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mournful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mournful
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.—
Rachel Ng,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
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Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Some people thought that was too depressing or whatever.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Many learned the depressing answer only when trying to scan badges and getting rejected by security, which treated them more or less like trespassers.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The funeral mass for Azcona will be held Friday at 10:30am at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2025
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On Wednesday, Israelis lined the streets to watch the funeral procession for Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, who were nine-months-old and 4 years old respectively when they were taken hostage with their mother, and whose bodies were also returned and identified last week.—
Hadeel Al-Shalchi,
NPR,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Despite that success, Willard was unhappy with the program’s financial commitments.—
Taylor Lyons,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
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The extra time will presumably be used to fix whatever about the season executives are unhappy with.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Hechinger is the perfect choice for the role, bringing just the right of optimism and obliviousness to an endearingly pathetic dork who finds the opportunity to be heroic.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
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Successful long ago, Shelley is no longer a selling Machine of any sort, and mostly just begs for a break in comically desperate appeals that ping-pong from belligerent to pathetic.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Since the release of his revered 2007 debut For Emma, Forever Ago – a cult-classic isolation record composed by a heartbroken Vernon in a cabin in the Wisconsin woods – the musician has transformed himself time and time again.—
Leah Lu,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2025
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His heartbroken wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and their son, both U.S. citizens, have sued the government demanding his return.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Meantime, brands that have thus far managed to weather a wider luxury downturn and depressed consumer spending, such as Hermes , could be best placed to pass on price rises.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2025
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However, the knock-on effects — namely, depressed U.S. consumer spending and a pullback in ad budgets — would clearly cut into Hollywood’s profits, according to analysts.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mournful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mournful. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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