How to pronounce mourn
Say it like MORN. Mourn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mourn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MORN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mourn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MORNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of mourn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: MAWN.
What does mourn mean?
- To express sadness or sorrow for; to grieve over (especially a death).“For two months, she mourned her father's passing.”
- To engage in the social customs of mourning; to commemorate a death and/or honor the deceased socially.“In that society, a spouse is mourned for one year, a parent for six months.”
- To utter in a sorrowful manner.
- Sorrow, grief.
- A ring fitted upon the head of a lance to prevent wounding an adversary in tilting.
Where does mourn come from?
From Middle English mornen, mournen, from Old English murnan, from Proto-Germanic *murnaną.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with mourn
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of mourn.
Words that sound like mourn
Questions about saying mourn
How do you pronounce mourn?
Say MORN. The American pronunciation is /mɔrn/. In British English it is /mɔːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mourn?
Mourn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MORN.
Is mourn pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /mɔːn/ (MAWN).
What words sound the same as mourn?
Mourn sounds the same as morn in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.