as in crying
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1
as in groaning
to utter a moan
he moaned and cried for days after his dog, his only companion, died
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
their son moaned whenever anyone asked him to do some work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of moaning
Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
While lying on the pavement, he could be heard moaning as an officer shouted at him not to move.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 13 Dec. 2025
There’s something moaning in the background.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
The deputies ultimately roll him over before putting on handcuffs as Mull can be heard moaning in pain.
—Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 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
In one of the videos, she's seen rinsing her eye in a hospital sink, while moaning from the discomfort.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
Julia says, dropping to all fours and moaning amid a pile of straw on the floor.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
But a male voice could be heard moaning in the background.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
While lying on the pavement, he could be heard moaning as an officer shouted at him not to move.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 13 Dec. 2025
There’s something moaning in the background.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
The deputies ultimately roll him over before putting on handcuffs as Mull can be heard moaning in pain.
—Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 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
In one of the videos, she's seen rinsing her eye in a hospital sink, while moaning from the discomfort.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
Julia says, dropping to all fours and moaning amid a pile of straw on the floor.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moaning
Adjective
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But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Verb
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No amount of jazz playlists can stop him from glancing at his GPS, groaning as the ETA keeps getting pushed back.—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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Or get ready for a lot of groaning and whining.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Per the report, during the plane’s final approach, the flight attendant said Ferrell was standing up, complaining that his cell phone was missing.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The city of Aledo has slashed the cost to rent its public community center because residents were complaining the price was too high.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Either that, or the Daily Mail editors had a howling good time with publication dates.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
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In the elk- and deer-rich areas of northern Yellowstone National Park, ravens are often among the first scavengers to arrive on the scene, swooping down to feast on scraps left behind by the howling canines.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As each mourner spoke, some holding back tears and others sobbing, Metayer’s family watched in loving silence.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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One clip, showing a Susac family member holding a limp, sobbing Chuck while the section rose to celebrate Daniel’s third hit, had amassed nearly 2 million views on X by Friday afternoon.—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Linebacker Oh, linebacker, a position screaming out for help and coming away with nothing, much like most Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight tackle attempts in the first half of last season.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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In the video, recorded by Mortensen on his cellphone, Paul can be seen screaming and throwing metal chairs, one of which struck one of her children who witnessed the altercation, according to the criminal indictment.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As society gal Rose DeWitt Bukater, Melissa Barrera has freewheeling fun with Kate Winslett’s unhappy bride-to-be character.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
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People on my block were unhappy, and block association president was unhappy.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For the puppy, leaving its mother and littermates can be stressful at first, and crying or whining is normal.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Or get ready for a lot of groaning and whining.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moaning. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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