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
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
The patient is actually a training dummy that instructors can manipulate into yelling, moaning, retching, suffering blood pressure spikes, heart attacks and other medical emergencies.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
The patient is actually a training dummy that instructors can manipulate into yelling, moaning, retching, suffering blood pressure spikes, heart attacks and other medical emergencies.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moaning
Adjective
-
But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Verb
-
Or get ready for a lot of groaning and whining.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
-
This was the first time in a long time that a Leeds side left the Elland Road crowd audibly frustrated, groaning at every backwards pass or defensive slip-up.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rather than complaining and predicting economic ruin, Americans treated rationing as noble.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Some Toyota fans reacted poorly to the announcement, complaining about the loss of the hybrid version of the Highlander that Toyota has marketed since 2005.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The City of Aurora, Illinois, is touting a howling success.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ziva breaks down sobbing, cradling her deceased father.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Liaw replied with a string of sobbing-face emojis, the indictment states, and then kept working with Chang and Sun, authorities say.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Authorities say Valdez had multiple untreated mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, and that he had been seen in Concord earlier in the day screaming at cars.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic's personal space.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The 28-year-old receiver is reportedly unhappy with his situation in Philadelphia, despite winning a Super Bowl a little over a year ago.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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But there may be an answer, or at least a compromise that will satisfy those unhappy with the idea of destroying a usable building.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Or get ready for a lot of groaning and whining.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
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With LeBron James buying into a supporting actor role, the Lakers are a legitimate threat because Doncic is more focused on scoring buckets than whining to officials.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moaning. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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