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
-
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
-
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
-
His wife is crying in the corner, collapsed on the floor, drunk and bleeding from her nose and mouth.—
Mary Gaitskill,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Hughes lost his teeth on the ice from high-stick to the mouth, put the Americans in a dangerous spot at the end of the third period when he got penalized for high-sticking, but then delivered the game–winner a few minutes into overtime.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Only Murders in the Building star accessorized with chunky gold hoops and a sleek lob, while her makeup consisted of glittery white eyeshadow, mauve blush, and a glossy pout.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
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On the other hand, a true-to-skin liner and lipstick can give your pout a naturally pillowy effect.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moue. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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