as in frown
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
a moue of distaste at the display of bad manners
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Recent Examples of moue
In her trademark cat-eye glasses, with her bitter-lemon moue, Hoffman, as Moth, is comedy just standing there; Harada, as Mustardseed, a warmth machine.
—
New York Times, 24 Oct. 2021
Not just any moue, either, but a supermoue—a whole cultural attitude distilled into a single boffff.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2020
New York Times, 24 Oct. 2021
Not just any moue, either, but a supermoue—a whole cultural attitude distilled into a single boffff.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moue
Noun
-
Not a quiver in his lips, yet his frown growing.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
3 Dec. 2025
-
My best friend Russell is an acupuncturist, and seemed like the perfect person to place my tape, slapping it on my frown lines, crow’s-feet, and nasolabial folds.—
Lena Dunham,
Vogue,
19 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In the video, Claffey tries to move Ansell away from the subject and grimaces at the camera when his costar seems to say a little too much.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
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After Malinin botched his final free in the singles competition, Cowan kept his distance as the skater crumbled into a grimace of abject disappointment.—
Colleen Barry,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Despite having her arms almost permanently crossed and a scowl on her face, Ivy eventually starts to warm up, especially to her cheerful, horny-as-a-chihuahua cabin-mate Ella (Ruby Stokes, recently seen in Bridgerton and The Burning Girls).—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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His fierce disposition in competition — the scowl, the pumping of fists and the guttural yells after big plays — came in stark contrast to his off-court good nature and broad grins.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These silicone bottles are BPA-free and easy to clean with a wide mouth opening.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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So much for my unsmiling open mouth in my 2026 passport photo.—
Paul Keane,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
From her glossy blonde hair to her signature pout, this is not the first time Martin has been mistaken for her mom's twin.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
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The actress paired the striking look with grey tights, a black choker and platform heels, opting for dark lipstick on her pout.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moue. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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