1
as in groan
a long low sound indicating pain or grief
she uttered an agonized moan and clutched her stomach
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wail
a crying out in grief
moans arose from the crowd as the funeral procession for the well-loved senator made its way down the street
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3
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
the crowd responded with a moan when it was announced that the rest of the show would be cancelled due to the weather
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1
as in to groan
to utter a moan
he moaned and cried for days after his dog, his only companion, died
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
their son moaned whenever anyone asked him to do some work
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of moan
Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Two microphones angle towards the duduk to capture resonant moans, creaks, squeaks and honks akin to the bridge’s.
—Ruby Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for moan
Noun
At the moment that B’Tselem says Hathaleen collapsed, the visuals are jostled but moans of pain can be heard.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Two microphones angle towards the duduk to capture resonant moans, creaks, squeaks and honks akin to the bridge’s.
—Ruby Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
As the video continues, one person can be heard yelling her name while the makeup artist moans in pain.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for moan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moan
Noun
-
Still, the night had enough laughs, groans and tender moments to keep things interesting.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Now, at the same time that his stepmother is drawing groans, however, Hunter is winning unexpected praise.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Three species of bats inhabit the site, and supernatural events—including the appearance of the gamekeeper’s ghost and the wail of a banshee—have been reported.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
-
The wail of fire trucks can be heard as passersby stopped to record the scene.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Lee's voice has always been Sui generis, a distinctive instrument caught between a whine and a yelp yet immediately recognizable.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
The guilt of a stack of unread books is a low constant whine at the back of your head.—
Philip Maymin,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
Verb
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The move was met with outrage, with fans criticizing the singer for jumping the gun and complaining that the weather had cleared up before becoming too serious.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 June 2026
-
Leo is expected to meet survivors while in Spain, but several victims groups have complained that they have been left in the dark about when the meeting is taking place and whether they are invited.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
That was the signal for the crying and screaming to begin.—
Annie Ernaux,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
The grieving in the sense of mourning and crying and all that might stop, but the pain is going to be there.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The success of such businesses, including those listed below, is a testament to Chicagoans heeding the cry to action.—
Jessi Roti,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
-
That resilience takes root in the phrase Haitian fans selected as the rallying cry around the national team.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Savneet Talwar was reportedly suspended from teaching and is facing a disciplinary investigation following a student’s complaint about a case study assigned in April.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
9 June 2026
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Enforcement of the zoning code would be complaint-driven, and violators would be given 30 days to comply with regulations.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
As if each of us isn’t a walking embodiment of our moment, clueless and attuned at once, screaming about one thing and in total denial about another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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The first thing many visitors see from their airplane windows is the giant LUMEN screaming up through the Seattle gloom.—
Les Carpenter,
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moan. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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