1
as in groans
a long low sound indicating pain or grief
she uttered an agonized moan and clutched her stomach
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cries
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 complains
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 moans
Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 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
Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
The song eventually escalates into a lecherous, breathless, glittering climax of incandescent synthesizers and melodic moans—an erotic asphyxiation depicted as utterly glorious.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 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
Verb
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
-
Poehler's joke received one of the biggest reactions of the monologue, earning a mixture of laughs and groans.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
23 Dec. 2025
-
The crowd immediately let out a mix of laughter and groans as Mathews tried to swap his plate for the one in front of Bertinelli.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The ear-splitting wails came from a little girl trying to get the star’s attention.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
And also on Untucked… • Discord complains about Nini being in the top basically all episode, while other queens like Jane try to kindly not get down in the mud with her.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Trump complains often that both rooms are too small.—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Christopher Patterson's mother held back tears as his family and friends gathered on Friday outside the home where the 23-year-old lost his life two days before.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Narrated by Colm Feore and James Hyndman in the English and French versions of the movie, respectively, the 17-minute stop-motion short follows a poor young boy who discovers a girl whose tears, evoked by a sad home life, turn into pristine pearls.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Little surprise that Pixel forums are lighting up with complaints about missing updates.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The Times found that a battalion chief ordered firefighters to roll up their hoses and leave the burn area despite complaints by crews that the ground was still smoldering.—
Paul Pringle,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
George Oliver Floating Fluted Nightstands There’s something about a pair of floating nightstands that just screams luxury, and this set is no exception.—
Brittney Morgan,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The Kings are still in the playoff picture and the Pacific Division race, even with a season that screams mediocrity.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
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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,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
As the puppy lets out another barrage of whimpers, the kitten then looks directly at the camera, as if wondering casually what's going on.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moans. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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