moan

1 of 2

noun

ˈmōn 

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

2 of 2

verb

moaned; moaning; moans

transitive verb

1

: to bewail audibly : lament

moaning the loss

2

: to utter with moans

"My stomach hurts," she moaned.

intransitive verb

1

: lament, complain

always moaning about work

2

a

: to make a moan : groan

injured patients moaning

b

: to emit a sound resembling a moan

The wind moaned in the trees.

moaner

ˈmō-nər 

noun

Synonyms of moan

Noun

• groan
• crying
• wail

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

Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms. — Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026

The room received the work with laughter, snaps, and occasional utterances of that satisfied poetry moan. — Literary Hub, 29 May 2026

Verb

Swinging his hips, moaning into the mic and briefly getting promiscuous with a mic stand was the authenticity that the majority-millennial crowd expected. — Sophie Lindberg july 11, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026

Federal officers stand over a man with a bloody shirt who is handcuffed face down, moaning in pain as his left foot shakes. — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English mone, from Old English *mān

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing moan

• have a moan

Rhymes for moan

• blown
• clone
• cone
• crone
• drone
• flown
• groan
• grown
• hone
• joan
• jone
• known

Kids Definition

moan

1 of 2 noun

ˈmōn 

1

: a long low sound indicating pain or grief

2

: a sound like a moan

moan

2 of 2 verb

1

: to utter a moan

2

: complain sense 1

3

: to utter with moans