MOANS Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

moans 1 of 2

noun

plural of moan

as in groans

a long low sound indicating pain or grief she uttered an agonized moan and clutched her stomach

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as in wails

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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as in whines

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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moans

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of moan

as in cries

to utter a moan he moaned and cried for days after his dog, his only companion, died

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as in complains

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 moans

Noun

In the decades after his death, Johnson’s loose playing and harrowing moans set American music on a path that would encompass Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, even Nas. — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 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 The moans announced the doubt throughout Riviera’s 18th green amphitheater, a bowl full of thousands of fans unsure if the new guy could do it. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026 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 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 Deeper into Cardoso’s forest, brown howler monkeys fill the viscous air with their guttural moans. — Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2022

Verb

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 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 The Freight House building creaks and moans underfoot, and passing trains produce little more than a subtle hum. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026 Back in the car, Albert moans and groans while Billie shrieks in panic. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026 Passersby hear its shrieks and moans from the road. — Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026 Fennell begins on a black screen and the sound of creaks and moans. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026 Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 10 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for moans

Noun

Young climbed into a box, which Strange then stabbed repeatedly, prompting groans from the audience.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026
Still, the night had enough laughs, groans and tender moments to keep things interesting.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

Definition of groans

Noun

Mourners beat their chests rhythmically in the intense summer heat, the wails of women cutting through the noise as the body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was unveiled beneath a glass case at the Grand Mosalla.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief.

— Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026

Definition of wails

Noun

Customers were irate and expressed outrage by filing complaints with the Federal Communications Commission and a class action lawsuit.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
Those records showed that several current and former Saint Alphonsus healthcare professionals who worked alongside Shapiro raised concerns and filed complaints about the surgeon’s abilities and his impacts on patient safety over the course of years.

— Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026

Definition of complaints

Verb

Adrian complains that McElwee, instead of making documentaries, should have followed the lucrative path of a Hollywood director, and even reproaches him for having turned down an offer to make a TV commercial.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
If he had been forced to stick with readily available materials, Rashid complains, the deck behind the house would have been green or brown.

— Dean Kaufman, Curbed, 30 June 2026

Definition of complains

Noun

While relatives looked on in bemusement, my brother and I burst into tears, inconsolable.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
On Wednesday, Argentina player Lisandro Martínez was asked if the banner could have stirred deep emotions and tears for a veteran of the Malvinas conflict.

— Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of tears

Noun

At the hospital in Dollow, mothers sat shoulder to shoulder on narrow beds holding frail children, some too weak to cry while others let out soft whimpers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Earlier this month, a Gardena police officer responded to a report that there were whimpers and cries coming from a self-compacting trash can outside a church.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026

Definition of whimpers

Verb

In footage shared on TikTok, the 50 First Dates star is seen asking Rapp about her then-upcoming album, Snow Angel, when an audience member suddenly screams Barrymore’s name.

— Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026
The audience’s screams and applause for Knight and Keller lasted nearly 28 seconds.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of screams

Noun

Suskind, a cochlear implant surgeon and professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago, says for years the waiting room in her practice would be a cacophony of baby cries and toddler screeches.

— Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
Lost in all their cries is that many soccer experts believe that Balogun’s move did not merit a red card.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026

Definition of cries

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moaning

moans

moat

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Style

“Moans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moans. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of moans

noun

verb

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