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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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
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Recent Examples of moan
Dalton Ross, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
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
Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Rather than chuckling at the opposition's jibes or moaning at the batters, the pacemen should absorb the spirit of Glenn McGrath.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for moan 
Noun
And this is coming from the guy who always bitches, moans, and complains when players share news of their idols and advantages!
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
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
Verb
Many of the patients were critically ill and moaning in pain from broken bones, head gashes and other injuries blamed on Tropical Storm Helene.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Rather than chuckling at the opposition's jibes or moaning at the batters, the pacemen should absorb the spirit of Glenn McGrath.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for moan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moan
Noun
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Sunday, June 8, 2025 Lake Como, Italy THE PARTY AT THE VILLA A single chilling wail erupts from the grand ballroom on Palazzo Mella’s ground floor, cutting through the whir of the choppers above.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
3 Feb. 2025
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Mark and Helly, drawn to the wails of what sounds like an infant, open a door inside the Lumon complex and discover an all-white room with baby goats frolicking on bales of hay and one being bottle-fed by a man in a suit.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Fritz revved the engine, a desperate, needling whine, and the vessel lurched down the airstrip, the chute billowing awake behind him.—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
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Families fall asleep to the thump of nearby airstrikes and the constant whine of an Israeli drone overhead.—
Raf Sanchez,
NBC News,
25 Dec. 2024
Verb
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When prospective recruits were asked to drop and do five pushups, many groaned and struggled, unable to complete the task.—
Dexter Filkins,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
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The film played like a real-deal thriller, the people around me screaming and groaning and laughing and shielding their eyes.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Palestinians complain of ill-treatment In exchange for the hostages' release, Israel is freeing 183 Palestinian prisoners, some convicted of involvement in attacks that killed dozens of people, as well as 111 detained in Gaza during the war.—
Hussam al-Masri,
USA TODAY,
10 Feb. 2025
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Many conspiracy theorists have complained about Black history being relegated to the calendar’s shortest month.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The fundamental elements of African American music were the sounds of enslaved Africans; cries, hollers, call and response, additive rhythms, bent notes, hand-clapping, stomps and constant repetition of rhythmic and melodic phrasing (from which riffs and vamps were derived).—
Ronald E. Scott,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2025
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His pain pours out, like a long cry from Syria’s dungeons, a cry that was silenced during more than half a century of rule by brutal despots, Bashar al-Assad, and his father, Hafez, before him.—
Scott Peterson,
The Christian Science Monitor,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Several workers at the facility filed complaints with the NLRB last week alleging Amazon had retaliated against them for their union activity, including firing them or withholding benefits.—
Greg Bensinger,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
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One of the messages sent to the boys from an individual later identified by authorities as Brett Bonini asked the two to pull down their pants and rub each others’ genitals over video chat in exchange for 25,000 in Roblox currency, according to the complaint.—
Silas Morgan,
Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In San Diego this incited Beatlemania-volume screaming.—
Abby Aguirre,
Vogue,
11 Feb. 2025
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There was the monotony, euphoria, and bemusement of performing the same show to 60,000 screaming fans night after night.—
Federico Fahsbender,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The van pulled into the street, and the crowd followed, muttering lamentations.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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This is a bleak model for those in lamentation over our current moment.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near moan
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moan. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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