1. a slow, mournful song or piece of music, especially one performed at a funeral
2. something that resembles a dirge in being slow, mournful, or depressing
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The choir sang a haunting dirge at the memorial service.
• The bagpiper played a traditional Scottish dirge as the procession moved slowly forward.
• Her speech became a dirge about the state of the economy.
• The wind through the trees sounded like a natural dirge.
• The orchestra performed a beautiful dirge in memory of the composer.
• His constant complaints were like a dirge that dampened everyone’s spirits.