groaned; groaning; groans
1
: to utter a deep moan indicative of pain, grief, or annoyance
groaned when she saw the bill
2
: to make a harsh sound (as of creaking) under sudden or prolonged strain
The chair groaned under his weight.
: to utter or express with groaning
groaned their despair
groan
noun
Examples of groan in a Sentence
The wounded man groaned in pain.
She groaned when she saw the bill.
“Oh, no,” she groaned, “I'm going to have to start all over.”
She groaned that she would have to start all over.
Merchants are groaning over slow holiday sales.
He's always moaning and groaning about his salary.
The chair groaned under his weight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Though the ballot measure also didn’t say the state needed to provide all of that money at once, lawmakers were already bracing for a budget shortfall last year and groaned under the strain of finding any more funding.
—
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2026
Feel free to laugh or groan or both.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
This was the first time in a long time that a Leeds side left the Elland Road crowd audibly frustrated, groaning at every backwards pass or defensive slip-up.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Immediately as Silva got out of his SUV, he was shot in the hand and soon after in the head, grunting and groaning in pain as blood spatter suddenly appeared on his uniform sleeve.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for groan
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Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2026
Feel free to laugh or groan or both.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
This was the first time in a long time that a Leeds side left the Elland Road crowd audibly frustrated, groaning at every backwards pass or defensive slip-up.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Immediately as Silva got out of his SUV, he was shot in the hand and soon after in the head, grunting and groaning in pain as blood spatter suddenly appeared on his uniform sleeve.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for groan
Cite this Entry
“Groan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groan. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
groan
verb1
: to utter a deep moan of pain, grief, or irritation
2
: to make a harsh sound under strain
the chair groaned under my weight
groan
noun
groaner
noun
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