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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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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That is, until you are subjected to the relentless whine of mosquitoes.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 July 2025
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The night was punctuated with the chilling whine of approaching drones that slammed into residential areas, exploded and sent balls of orange flames into the dark during the 10-hour barrage.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
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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Trump has complained about the EU's $231 billion trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more goods from European businesses than the other way around.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Hearing the monkey’s cries— what of the child abandoned to the autumn wind?—
Rebecca Chace
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
-
Sixty-years-and-change later, that’s still the rallying cry of drivers who regard the Porsche 911 as the best sports car in the world.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
By July, the department had dismissed thousands of these complaints, raising concerns about whether each case was being dutifully considered.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
15 July 2025
-
Building inspector Major construction work continues at the U.S. Federal Reserve building as U.S. President Donald Trump voices complaints about Fed Chair Jerome Powell, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 14, 2025.—
Josephine Rozzelle,
CNBC,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Elderly residents rushed to their windows to scream and beg for help as smoke filled the hallways.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
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Golden Goose screams effortless cool girl with the unique, layered designs that demand a double take.—
April Benshosan,
Glamour,
14 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 30 Jul. 2025.
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