moan 1 of 2

noun

ˈmōn How to pronounce moan (audio)
Definition of moannext
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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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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moan

2 of 2

verb

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of moan
Noun
Sweet tweets, soft moans, the distant caw of a shore bird piloting toward the sea, spirited and hopeful, daylight already breaking through. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 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
Verb
Endo is the sixth choice midfielder and someone who never moans about his place in the pecking order. — James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Hall wrote in his report that Hamilton lay down in the backseat of the police vehicle, moaning and not responding, prompting first responders to give him Narcan. — Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for moan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moan
  1. groan
  2. wail
  3. whine
  4. complain
  5. crying
  6. cry
  7. complaint
  8. scream
Noun
  • That brought groans from a commission where the complaints about the marketing plan outnumbered the defenses.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The good-natured hope from the fanbase dissolved into problematic groans as KC finished 69-93.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of groan
Noun
  • Feverish with feeling, the women scream, wail and sob, each one experiencing her misery multiply in real time as the remaining two look on in disdain.
    — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • No wet plop of a SpongeBob ice cream bar crashing onto hot asphalt; a child’s apocalyptic wails ensuing.
    — Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of wail
Noun
  • Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog saw them too and enthusiastically let out a small whine.
    — Kody Lostroh, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • Some users have complained on social media that the agent accessed personal messages without authorization, which the company has disputed.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In a 2023 memorandum obtained by Fox News Digital, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, who was then serving as the city council president, said residents complained about rodent infestations during a community meeting.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • Elementary school students may have tantrums, be clingy, have toileting accidents, engage in uncontrollable crying or become less talkative as a result of changes in schools, homes and caregivers.
    — Nikki R Wooten, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Heart attacks and strokes occur disproportionately following rejections, and rejected individuals often show symptoms that are typically associated with drug withdrawal, including anxiety, depression, crying, loss of appetite, and irritability.
    — George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of crying
Noun
  • Over cries of foul from those who came in person, the board’s attorney Shayla Myers announced the meeting was canceled because the Zoom channel had a capacity of only 1,000.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Angry but empathetic, frank in its darkness but refusing to wallow in it, Tip Toe is a cry of frustration that cuts right to the heart.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of cry
Noun
  • In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking it to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law.
    — Jill Colvin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking them to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of complaint
Verb
  • In June 2016, Blair, who was returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico, began screaming uncontrollably and causing chaos on the flight.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Back in California, Dodgers fans screamed at their television sets.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of scream

Browse Nearby Words

mizzly
moan
moaned
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Cite this Entry

“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moan. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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