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groan

[ grohn ]
/ groʊn /
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See synonyms for: groan / groaned / groaning on Thesaurus.com

noun
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
to utter or express with groans.
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Origin of groan

First recorded before 900; Middle English gronen, Old English grānian; cognate with German greinen “to whine”

synonym study for groan

1. Groan, moan refer to sounds indicating deep suffering. A groan is a brief, strong, deep-throated sound emitted involuntarily under pressure of pain or suffering: The wounded man groaned when they lifted him. A moan is a prolonged, more or less continuous, low, inarticulate sound indicative of suffering, either physical or mental: She was moaning after the operation. She did not weep, but moaned softly.

OTHER WORDS FROM groan

groaner, noungroan·ing·ly, adverbun·der·groan, nounun·groan·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH groan

groan , grown
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use groan in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for groan

groan
/ (ÉĄrəʊn) /

noun
a prolonged stressed dull cry expressive of agony, pain, or disapproval
a loud harsh creaking sound, as of a tree bending in the wind
informal a grumble or complaint, esp a persistent one
verb

Derived forms of groan

groaning, noun, adjectivegroaningly, adverb

Word Origin for groan

Old English grānian; related to Old Norse grīna, Old High German grīnan; see grin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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