moan

noun

\ ˈmōn

Definition of moan

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : lamentation, complaint … made a great moan if he had to work …— D. H. Lawrence

2 : a low prolonged sound of pain or of grief a moan of distress

moan

verb

moaned; moaning; moans

Definition of moan (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to bewail audibly : lament

2 : to utter with moans

intransitive verb

1 : lament, complain

2a : to make a moan : groan

b : to emit a sound resembling a moan the wind moaned in the trees

Other Words from moan Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about moan

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Synonyms for moan

Synonyms: Noun

groan, wail

Synonyms: Verb

groan, wail

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: Noun

There are more sophisticated CVTs (by Nissan and Toyota) that do a better job of delivering power without the unappealing moan of motorboating. — Mark Maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Forever young," 22 June 2018 There is often a meditative moan at the core of much contemporary Christian rock, but rarely is there a real growl. — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, "The Grammy Gems You Won’t Hear on ‘Music’s Biggest Night’," 26 Jan. 2018 If Colorado State’s forecast holds true, another busy season could draw a collective moan from South Florida and the Caribbean after a punishing 2017 season. — Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, "How busy will hurricane season be in 2018? This forecast has good news and bad news | Miami Herald," 5 Apr. 2018 For the encore of the CD’s title track, Coulter sat in with the rest, using bow and mallet to make the tool’s bendable metal produce a panoply of eerie moans and fierce pings. — Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, "Kronos Festival is an eclectic treat," 28 Apr. 2018 My roommates, a couple probably/hopefully in the process of uncoupling, spend most of their free hours adding to the noise levels by playing the sort of music that is like a prolonged moan, or maybe a whale dying, while yelling at each other. — Greta Moran, The Cut, "The Intimacy of Socializing in Silence," 29 Mar. 2018 During the breeding season, Crowley says he's heard males following females through the trees while making a short, repetitive moan. — Jason Bittel, National Geographic, "Hear the Otherworldly Screams of Lynx in Battle," 28 Mar. 2018 Gone were the terrifying moans and mumbled nonsense. — Jodie Briggs, Longreads, "Growing Up Around Funeral Homes Didn’t Prepare Me for Death," 27 Mar. 2018 This duet between Trippie Redd and Swae Lee is an elaborate dance of lovely moans and sighs, Trippie Redd singing into the clouds and Swae Lee doling out sweet pinpoint melodies. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, "The Playlist: Justin Timberlake Stays Funky (for Now), and 9 More New Songs," 5 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The wood gave off a pungent, earthy smell and the wind moaned through the tall oaks and pines. — Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, "The Ultimate Guide To Cutting and Splitting Firewood," 28 Sep. 2018 The woman with the broken leg was on the floor of the boat, and Bryan recalled hearing moans every time the vessel hit a wave. — Caleb Jones, The Seattle Times, "Passengers recount moments after lava hit Hawaii tour boat," 24 July 2018 Abyss uses a third party that develops text-to-speech engines; actors read four hours of words, laughs, and moans that an algorithm splices together. — Allison P. Davis, The Cut, "Are We Ready for Robot Sex?," 13 May 2018 Arsene Wenger has managed his final home game in charge of the Gunners after 22 years of success, exhilarating football, unbeaten seasons, a whole lot of fans moaning on YouTube, a seemingly never-ending cycle, and a bunch of heavy defeats. — SI.com, "#MerciArsene: Wenger Says Emotional Goodbye to Arsenal After 22 Years in Charge," 6 May 2018 Dashboard camera video from the April 3 altercation shows Hinton standing in a road, moaning, as officers surround him. — Jonathan Drew, The Seattle Times, "Man sues state over troopers’ role in videotaped beating," 24 July 2018 In about a month-and-a half's time at the U.S. Open, when these same players are struggling to make pars and moaning about how hard Shinnecock is, remember today. — Daniel Rapaport, SI.com, "Three Quick Thoughts From Thursday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans," 26 Apr. 2018 While the kids moaned and griped about it, the job came with an incredibly enticing incentive: starvation. — Stacey Gill, Good Housekeeping, "I Don't Need a Housekeeper — I Make My Kids Do the Cleaning," 21 Sep. 2015 Residents moan that owning a car has become the preserve of the super-rich. — The Economist, "Why a licence plate costs more than a car in Shanghai," 19 Apr. 2018

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.