moan

²moan

verb

Definition of MOAN

transitive verb

1

: to bewail audibly : lament

2

: to utter with moans

intransitive verb

1

: lament, complain

2

a : to make a moan : groan b : to emit a sound resembling a moan <the wind moaned in the trees>

— moan·er \ˈmō-nər\ noun

Examples of MOAN

1. The wounded soldier moaned in pain.
2. He moaned with pleasure as she rubbed his back.
3. We were all moaning about the cold, rainy weather.
4. He's always moaning about his salary.
5. The children were moaning and groaning all morning, but their mother would not let them go outside.
6. I'm tired of all his moaning and groaning about his salary.
7. “But I don't want to go,” moaned the boy.
8. The wind moaned in the trees.

First Known Use of MOAN

14th century

Related to MOAN

Synonyms: groan, wail

Antonyms: crow, delight, rejoice

Related Words: blubber, cry, sob, weep; sniff, snivel, whimper, whine; bemoan, bewail, deplore, keen, lament, rue; agonize, anguish, bleed, grieve, hurt, mourn, sorrow, suffer; bawl, howl, shriek, squall, yammer, yelp, yowl

Near Antonyms: cackle, chortle, chuckle, crack up, giggle, guffaw, laugh, snicker, titter, twitter

see all synonyms and antonyms

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