mournful

adjective

mourn·ful ˈmȯrn-fəl

: expressing sorrow : sorrowful

: full of sorrow : sad

: causing sorrow or melancholy : gloomy

mournfully

ˈmȯrn-fə-lē

adverb

mournfulness noun

Example Sentences

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 As the sun set on Itaewon on Sunday evening, a mournful and subdued atmosphere suffused the neighborhood.

John Yoon, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Oct. 2022 As the sun set on Itaewon on Sunday evening, a mournful and subdued atmosphere suffused the neighborhood.

Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2022 Or the gorgeous scenes that take place on the mysterious train line, pensive, mournful, and somehow evocative of the experience of crossing the river Styx after death.

Nina Li Coomes, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2022 And Waldron captures the feeling, simultaneously mournful and buoyant, that Holiday famously conjured.

Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022 Demna opened by reading a poem in Ukrainian, and gifted everyone in attendance a T-shirt in the colors of the Ukrainian flag as models made their way through a fierce artificial blizzard to the mournful sound of Dvořák.

Maya Singer, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2022 Rivera’s songs — performed with soulful restraint by baritone Afredo Daza — are deep and mournful, reflecting the artist’s regrets over his cruelty.

Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Oct. 2022 And yet, many inside the church view these transitioners, if that’s a word, in a mournful manner, speaking of them in hushed, doleful tones, as though their faith decisions will lead them to nothing but pain and sorrow.

Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Oct. 2022 The repetition of that mournful guitar line has the effect of wrapping itself around you until the supernatural synths and shimmering cymbals fade in to finish off the job.

Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 5 Oct. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mournful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.