1
: lamentation, complaint
… made a great moan if he had to work …—
D. H. Lawrence
D. H. Lawrence2
: a low prolonged sound of pain or of grief
a moan of distress
moaned; moaning; moans
2
a
: to make a moan : groan
b
: to emit a sound resembling a moan
the wind moaned in the trees
Examples of moan in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Out comes another moan, this one closer to a laugh as Brandon’s face flashes a smile.
—Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Jon-Michael Banks, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2025
Liam was basically telling the people who were moaning about a younger band to get stuffed.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
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Noun
Brandon swings his head up and to the left, a moan escaping his lips.
—Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Out comes another moan, this one closer to a laugh as Brandon’s face flashes a smile.
—Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
The sound of a heavy machine motor moaned from a tractor evening out the soil covering an oval enclosure, about the size of a football field.
—Jon-Michael Banks, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2025
Liam was basically telling the people who were moaning about a younger band to get stuffed.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moan. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moan
1 of 2 noun1
: a long low sound indicating pain or grief
2
: a sound like a moan
moan
2 of 2 verbLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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