as in frown
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
a moue of distaste at the display of bad manners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
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
-
May wears a smile more often than not, while Underwood is more associated with a perpetual scowl.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
With 30 seconds left in the third quarter, Highlands Ranch up 34-28, Jarocki cupped a hand to her mouth.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
-
No one can resist the soft, minty, melt-in-your-mouth flavor of homemade butter mints.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
15 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
-
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 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
