groans 1 of 2

Definition of groansnext
plural of groan
1
as in wails
a crying out in grief when the underdogs lost the playoffs, the groans of millions of disappointed fans were heard throughout the land

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

groans

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of groan

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 groans
Noun
The ball nestling into the net was greeted with the unique mix of cheers and groans in Viejas Arena that, to the gambling crowd, can mean only one thing. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026 The video ends as Chakraborty collapses onto a couch and groans in pain with the officer continuing to yell at him to drop the knife. Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026 The speech was met by deafening cheers, and a tiny smattering of groans from people on the other side of the political spectrum. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026 Those decisions were largely met with groans from fans. Chris Vannini, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026 Initially, DeGraaf -- a frequent filbusterer -- drew some groans. Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026 Many of her jokes relied heavily on wordplay, like one about how the Rock might win a Globe because The Paper wasn’t nominated, but even sweaty double entendres like this landed well because Glaser moved on so quickly that there was no time for groans. Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026 There were audible groans during the commercial breaks when the Polymarket visuals appeared on screen for categories like best podcast. Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026 Glaser’s joke about Leo DiCaprio’s history of dating younger women also drew a few groans. Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
There were jeers when Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario took too long on the ball, groans whenever anyone turned backwards, and boos when Antoine Semenyo put City 2-0 up. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026 At the same time, the catalogue groans under the weight of all the local talent working at the cutting edge of the form. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026 Arthur groans, but there is affection in his protest. Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for groans
Noun
  • The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.
    H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
  • In some, relatives are seen walking among the black bags, trying to identify the deceased, as wails and screams fill the background.
    Molly Hunter, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
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, 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
Noun
  • While the 27-year-old skater was brought to tears after seeing her final time, Paul was in the stands doing the same, surrounded by her family, who also couldn’t help but cry tears of joy.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Gripped with pain, tears streamed down her face the entire two-hour trip from the airport to her parents’ home in Albany.
    Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • No wonder then, when substitute Mia Enderby met Jenna Clark’s cross perfectly in the 92nd minute, putting Liverpool 1-0 up, the cries of celebration spilled out before the ball had officially crossed the goal line.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
  • When the time comes, listen to the whistles, the car horns, the cries in the air.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The language surrounding Bailey echoes sentiments from the 1990s and early 2000s, when public revelations of a celebrity’s homosexuality often triggered exaggerated lamentations from straight female fans.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
  • The previous two Jennings collaborations — 2024’s The Fear of Standing Still and 2020’s Lamentations — are two of Barham’s personal favorites in his entire catalog.
    Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Aquilla Sadalla’s wordless vocals, a gorgeous swell of howls and heaves, complement the arrangement without becoming the focal point.
    Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The Wolf Moon name dates back to Indigenous and early Anglo-Saxon traditions, inspired by the winter wolves whose howls echoed across cold January nights.
    Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 3 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Continue reading … WAR OF WORDS – AOC weighs in after Republican laments 'humiliation' of Mamdani campaigning in Arabic.
    , FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The poem ends with the hero’s burial and the laments of his followers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Groans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groans. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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