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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of moan
Michael Cox, The Athletic, 28 Aug. 2024
As diners dip into the salty pat of butter before them, the room goes silent save for an occasional moan.
—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 21 Oct. 2024
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
There also isn't a dry forehead in the studio, as the tough session has left them all moaning and groaning.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for moan 
Noun
That overrides the crowd reaction to many on-pitch incidents — there are fewer audible moans when a foul is committed, fewer jeers when there’s an opposition shot way off target, and sometimes less of a silence when a goal is conceded.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 28 Aug. 2024
As diners dip into the salty pat of butter before them, the room goes silent save for an occasional moan.
—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 21 Oct. 2024
Verb
Watson missed out on an additional $40,000 in the bonus round, prompting him to moan in dejection.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
There also isn't a dry forehead in the studio, as the tough session has left them all moaning and groaning.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for moan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moan
Noun
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This fly-on-the-wall music documentary covers it all, from Cyndi Lauper's wail to Bruce Springsteen's growl to the fact that poor Huey Lewis had to follow Michael Jackson.Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2025
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Simpson's gruff, outlaw country timbre ranged from wails to whispers, adapting to echo the style of the band and the current tune.Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 26 Oct. 2024
Noun
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When in use, the motor produced a slightly audible whistle/whine.John Timmer, Ars Technica, 4 Apr. 2024
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Fittingly, its most art-averse detractors responded with an awful lot of whine.Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The most delightful moments of the entire endeavor come in the premiere, directed by Robert Alexander, as established SNL alums watch their own auditions, tearing up (Heidi Gardner) or groaning (Bowen Yang) or adamantly refusing to participate before gamely consenting to a minute or two (Poehler).Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
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Jessie Mazar squeezed the grab handle in her husband’s pickup and groaned as contractions struck her during the 90-minute drive from her home in rural northeastern California to the closest hospital with a maternity unit.Ronnie Cohen, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Many residents at the town hall complained about feeling unsafe at their local Giant or Weis supermarkets, seeing panhandlers, loitering and graffiti in and around these areas.Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2025
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Some of the agency’s top Middle East diplomats complained in private that they were sidelined by Biden’s National Security Council.Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The sailors’ splashes and cries, along with the debris from the sinking ship, likely signaled to the sharks that an easy feast was at hand.Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
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But the heartbreaking cries continued as the video showed him in another part of the home.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The complaint, first reported by Front Office Sports, was filed last Friday.Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2025
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Police confirmed on Monday that no investigation had yet been launched, but the complaint would be assessed.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the clip, Scout, Tallulah, and Rumer, along with a group of friends and family, jump and scream as Moore’s name is called out by Kerry Washington, who presented the award alongside Andrew Garfield.Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2025
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My cat's preference is screaming from the bath tub for someone to open the faucet for her.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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No such resourcefulness is evident in Tesori’s score, which wavers between mid-century film-music heroics and sentimental lamentations, with tame avant-garde gestures popping up here and there.Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
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There's been endless chatter and discussion and debate and lamentation around it.Kate Bernot, Bon Appétit, 23 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near moan
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moan. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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