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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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
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Oct. 2025
Most of these are held in a tent, from which loud, ecstatic moans can be heard for seemingly miles around.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
The recognizable munchies didn't stop the cast members from moaning, groaning and throwing up as usual.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
Noun
Once again inducing moans of agony from Oceanside to Baja when the game mattered most, Padres hitters came up short Thursday.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Oct. 2025
Most of these are held in a tent, from which loud, ecstatic moans can be heard for seemingly miles around.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
There’s something moaning in the background.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
The recognizable munchies didn't stop the cast members from moaning, groaning and throwing up as usual.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moan
Noun
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The names of full-game starting quarterbacks since Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s retirement after the 1996 season are voluminous and, at times, groan-inducing.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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Cohen said, drawing another groan from Cooper.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ride the thrill of Hostile Design’s passionate wails and percussion overload when the group headlines eight shows to kick off the new year, making their way across California, Rhode Island, Quebec, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and Illinois with the same energy that once fueled their humble beginnings.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
8 Jan. 2026
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With the band mostly back together, the Minnesota Wild made the goal horn wail enough for their seventh straight win on Saturday.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
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These are no longer the days of whine and turned-up noses.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
30 Nov. 2025
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Deciphering the vocalizations involves both sound and context, as a dog’s bark or whine may be tied to its situation, Zhu said.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Boston Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Later, the state spent $6 million to seal the brick building, after state workers complained of respiratory ailments and asthma.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
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Although older drivers are certainly more sensitive to nocturnal blasts of light, drivers in their 20s and 30s also complained about the overall brightness of some vehicles.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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No more crying tots – or well-meaning helper elves – tugging on their long white beards and hemlines.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
26 Dec. 2025
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Navarro scoffed that her crying was rehearsed.—
Ian Parker,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Property Insurance If property taxes are the House GOP’s flagship affordability issue, property insurance has become the Democrats’ rallying cry.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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Demonstrations have included cries in support of the shah, something that could bring a death sentence in the past but now underlines the anger fueling the protests that began over Iran’s ailing economy.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The complaint alleges the blaze ignited when the two workers from the Public Works Department were moving boulders in Trabuco Canyon.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
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The complaint says King returned to the apartment the next day, wearing a mask and again asking about Toney.—
Tom Olsen,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hearing the Creature screaming his name, Victor turns back.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Jan. 2026
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For all the talk about home-field advantage and the Bears needing their fans to scream 20 percent louder and be 30 percent drunker than usual, past precedent shows that won’t matter much.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moan. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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