1
: lamentation, complaint
… made a great moan if he had to work …—
D. H. Lawrence
D. H. Lawrence2
: a low prolonged sound of pain or of grief
a moan of distress
moaned; moaning; moans
2
a
: to make a moan : groan
b
: to emit a sound resembling a moan
the wind moaned in the trees
Examples of moan in a Sentence
Noun
She let out a long, deep moan.
the moan of the wind
the moan of the car's engine
Verb
The wounded soldier moaned in pain.
He moaned with pleasure as she rubbed his back.
We were all moaning about the cold, rainy weather.
He's always moaning about his salary.
The children were moaning and groaning all morning, but their mother would not let them go outside.
I'm tired of all his moaning and groaning about his salary.
“But I don't want to go,” moaned the boy.
The wind moaned in the trees.
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Suffice to say, the 2025 Cannes market will be filled with even more groans on moans than years past.
—Elsa Ramo, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
After one season, he was forcefully rejected by the community, which moaned to the press (and the local police) that the tranquil pondside inn was becoming a celebrity- and influencer-infested late-night party spot just like his club in the city.
—Brock Colyar, Curbed, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
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Noun
Out comes another moan, this one closer to a laugh as Brandon’s face flashes a smile.
—Scott Craven, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2025
Suffice to say, the 2025 Cannes market will be filled with even more groans on moans than years past.
—Elsa Ramo, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Verb
Now-tired 2010 fads that Lorde pioneered, including bittersweet tropical-pop textures and moaning vocal snippets, are everywhere.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
After one season, he was forcefully rejected by the community, which moaned to the press (and the local police) that the tranquil pondside inn was becoming a celebrity- and influencer-infested late-night party spot just like his club in the city.
—Brock Colyar, Curbed, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for moan
Cite this Entry
“Moan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moan. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moan
1 of 2 noun1
: a long low sound indicating pain or grief
2
: a sound like a moan
moan
2 of 2 verbLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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