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With so many words that sound exactly the same, it’s no wonder people struggle with learning the English language—even those of us whose first language it is!
Morning vs. mourning is one of those tricky word pairs that lots of people get mixed up.
I explain the difference in this blog post, provide example sentences, and ask you quiz questions so you can test your knowledge.
Table of Contents
Morning Meaning
The word morning refers to the early part of the day before noon. It usually refers to the time of day between sunrise and noon, but it can mean between midnight and noon. Morning can also refer to the beginning of something.
Morning is also used as a greeting as short for “Good morning.”
Examples of Morning in a Sentence
- The appointment is scheduled for Tuesday morning at eleven. Will you be there?
- I got some great news this morning!
- Hitting snooze three times before I get up is part of my morning routine.
Mourning Meaning
Warning: Just because there’s a U in it, it doesn’t mean that mourning is the British way of spelling morning. It’s not! Mourning is a completely different word with a different meaning.
Mourning is a noun that refers to the act of showing sorrow. It can refer to an outward sign of grief such as donning black clothing or an armband. This is not to be confused with a morning suit or morning dress, which describes formal daytime attire. This is a popular term for a man’s wedding suit in the UK.
Mourning is the present participle of the verb to mourn. To mourn means to express grief or sorrow.
Examples of Mourning in a Sentence
- Polly wore her mourning attire for three days after her pet lizard died.
- A period of national mourning was observed after the death of the president.
- Mourning the loss of your youth as you age is not unusual.
What’s the Difference between Grief and Mourning?
Grief is what you feel inside when someone dies or when you experience a loss. Mourning is the outward expression of grief.
More Grammar Posts
Morning vs. Mourning Quiz Questions
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. The answers are at the bottom of this blog post.
- I like to exercise first thing in the morning/mourning to get it out of the way.
- Morning/Mourning is a natural part of the grieving process, and it can take several months or even years.
- She wore a black veil to show she was in morning/mourning for her husband.
- Good morning/mourning, Mary! Hope you’re having a nice day!
- The world went into morning/mourning the morning/mourning Princess Diana died.
Final Thoughts on the Difference between Morning and Mourning
Have you got the difference between morning and mourning down now? As homophones, they sound exactly the same, but they have different meanings. Morning refers to the early part of the day, and mourning refers to the expression of sorrow.
Morning vs. Mourning Quiz Answers
- I like to exercise first thing in the morning to get it out of the way.
- Mourning is a natural part of the grieving process, and it can take several months or even years.
- She wore a black veil to show she was in mourning for her husband.
- Good morning, Mary! Hope you’re having a nice day!
- The world went into mourning the morning Princess Diana died.
