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
Air Mail, 19 Apr. 2025
And there, like an old friend, is Cronenberg’s regular composer Howard Shore with a synth moan to keep the mood unnerving.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The Rockies have been a zombie baseball club for five years now, moaning and trudging along the National League cellar, wandering the darkness, looking for brains to eat.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
Noun
The courtroom reverberated with the anguished moans and last breaths of Brianna Kupfer.
—Air Mail, 19 Apr. 2025
And there, like an old friend, is Cronenberg’s regular composer Howard Shore with a synth moan to keep the mood unnerving.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Erik Windsor said fire crews removed a manhole cover in the general area of the storm drain opening, inserted a powerful listening device and heard moaning.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The Rockies have been a zombie baseball club for five years now, moaning and trudging along the National League cellar, wandering the darkness, looking for brains to eat.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moan
Noun
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Thousands of cell phone lights and ear-piercing wails accompanied it.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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So, Nan is nowhere near over Guy, and making things more awkward, Theo can hear his wife’s wails on the other side of the door.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Moscow’s escalating air war and the distinctive whine of Shaheds is now forcing Ukrainians out of their beds and into shelters and metro stations on an almost-nightly basis.—
Clare Sebastian,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
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That is, until you are subjected to the relentless whine of mosquitoes.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 July 2025
Verb
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While fans were not gathered outside Amalie Arena with pitchforks, there was much moaning, groaning and other expressions of disappointment when Steven Stamkos signed with Nashville upon the free agency window opening last summer.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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But Wednesday’s late-game collapse left Knicks fans groaning.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Verb
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A number of Tesla shareholders, including some Democrats who oversee the investment of public sector pension fund money in Tesla stock, complained in May to Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm that Musk’s other activities are hurting the company.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
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Essentially, the legislation does away with a process that some have complained can be time-consuming and expensive—at least in some cases.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Noun
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A bit more time can pass here, amidst the continuing cries of children swimming, as the great sun descends as low as possible to meet the mountain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
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Trump slapped additional tariffs on automobile parts, inciting cries of protest from American car companies.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
Noun
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The complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster unlawfully exercises its monopoly power in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act.—
Beck Andrew Salgado,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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The Kroger in the Holiday Manor Shopping Center and another location on Westport Road both faced complaints to Louisville health department officials regarding the possible presence of rodents, as well.—
Olivia Evans,
The Courier-Journal,
30 July 2025
Verb
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On a warm day July 11, Caroline Flynn and her young children were in a South Boston park near their home for a birthday party when her 4-year-old ran out of a play area without shoes on and screamed.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
28 July 2025
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Unfortunately, the Who’s separation with Starkey was the equivalent of peeling off a child’s Band-Aid very slowly while the kid screams, putting the Band-Aid back on, and then doing it all over again.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
28 July 2025
Noun
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For those of us in the trenches of X, the meltdown was a familiar sight, echoing the contempt that the tech elite have directed at San Francisco for years, with the endless lamentations of anarchy at pharmacy branches in Union Square or the liberal policies of politicians like Aaron Peskin.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
30 June 2025
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Give us your final lamentations on this year’s crop of cancellations in a comment below.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moan. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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