moan

1 of 2

noun

ˈmōn

Synonyms of moan next

: lamentation, complaint

… made a great moan if he had to work …—

D. H. Lawrence

: a low prolonged sound of pain or of grief

a moan of distress

moan

2 of 2

verb

moaned; moaning; moans

transitive verb

: to bewail audibly : lament

: to utter with moans

intransitive verb

: lament, complain

: to make a moan : groan

: to emit a sound resembling a moan

the wind moaned in the trees

moaner

ˈmō-nər

noun

Example Sentences

Noun She let out a long, deep moan. the moan of the wind the moan of the car's engine Verb The wounded soldier moaned in pain. He moaned with pleasure as she rubbed his back. We were all moaning about the cold, rainy weather. He's always moaning about his salary. The children were moaning and groaning all morning, but their mother would not let them go outside. I'm tired of all his moaning and groaning about his salary. “But I don't want to go,” moaned the boy. The wind moaned in the trees. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Shimizu’s parents hated it, but the actual human guttural moan made cinematic history anyway. —

Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2022 While the pair walked in the hallway, Willis would stare at her breasts and moan, the lawsuit says. —

Dallas News, 1 Nov. 2022 During Nyepi in Bali, Williams’ hydrophones captured coral reef fish singing in a dawn chorus, and the click and moan of sperm whales and dolphins chatting with each other. —

Brianna Randall, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2021 The 34-second clip set social media ablaze, with many people gobsmacked that anything, let alone what sounds like an eerie, guttural moan, could escape a black hole. —

Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2022 The 34-second clip set social media ablaze, with many people gobsmacked that anything, let alone what sounds like an eerie, guttural moan, could escape a black hole. —

Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2022 This gesture is usually accompanied by a mid-pitch moan. —

Chloé Cooper Jones, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2022 The 34-second clip set social media ablaze, with many people gobsmacked that anything, let alone what sounds like an eerie, guttural moan, could escape a black hole. —

Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2022

Verb

Mathews will moan, trudging out to the barn on a rainy day to feed the horses. —

Mary Colurso | Mcolurso@al.com, al, 28 Feb. 2023 It’s all rolled up in a story about the institution every Brit most loves to love and moan about in equal measure, the National Health Service. —

Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Sep. 2022 As winds howl, buildings can moan like creaky container ships, or clatter like subway cars. —

Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2022 Writers and reps, two contingents that typically praise Landgraf and his brand, began to moan about projects being passed over and decisions being prolonged. —

Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2022 John didn’t answer the question—only continued to moan, pleading for help. —

Ian Frisch, Town & Country, 27 Oct. 2022 Please do not moan, Dodgers fans, about the unfairness of it all. —

Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2022 Your trick-or-treaters and guests will turn on their heels the minute old Drake starts to moan and scream. —

Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 15 Sep. 2022 Some pundits are simply perma-bears that moan and groan about how the market will collapse taking you and civilization with it. —

Clem Chambers, Forbes, 16 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'moan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.