groan

[ grohn ]

noun

1. a low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief:

   the groans of dying soldiers.

2. a deep, inarticulate sound uttered in derision, disapproval, desire, etc.
3. a deep grating or creaking sound due to a sudden or continued overburdening, as with a great weight:

   We heard the groan of the ropes as the crane lowered the heavy cargo into the ship's hold.

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a deep, mournful sound expressive of pain or grief.
2. to make a deep, inarticulate sound expressive of derision, disapproval, desire, etc.
3. to make a sound resembling a groan; resound harshly:

   The steps of the old house groaned under my weight.

4. to be overburdened or overloaded.
5. to suffer greatly or lamentably:

   groaning under an intolerable burden.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter or express with groans.

groan

/ ɡrəʊn /

noun

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

verb

1. to utter (low inarticulate sounds) expressive of pain, grief, disapproval, etc

   they all groaned at Larry's puns

2. intr to make a sound like a groan
3. intr, usually foll by beneath or under to be weighed down (by) or suffer greatly (under)

   the country groaned under the dictator's rule

4. informal.
   intr to complain or grumble

Derived Forms

• ˈgroaning, nounadjective
• ˈgroaningly, adverb

Other Words From

• groaner noun
• groaning·ly adverb
• under·groan noun
• un·groaning adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of groan¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of groan¹

Old English grānian ; related to Old Norse grīna, Old High German grīnan; see grin

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Other lifters’ grunts and groans won’t spoil your zone at the gym and the park’s murmurs will become distant if not non-existent while you do laps around the lake.

From Popular-Science

Wireless earbuds have flown out of my ears onto the treadmill or delivered less-than-impressive volume levels, allowing the grunts and groans of weightlifters into my rhythm.

From Popular-Science

So if you get into this puritan mode that to survive we’re all going to have to shelter in place forever, it’s a groan from everybody.

From Time

Nocturnal grunts, gasps, and groans harmonized to sounds of crashing waves.

From Washington Blade

Mention “virtual class” and you can almost hear a collective groan reverberate through the internet.

From Quartz

Immediately following the groan of disappointment, a conspiracy of silence began.

From The Daily Beast

Copper mining is the most toxic form of metal mining in the United States, but you can only moan and groan about it so much.

From The Daily Beast

I've been going by this billboard almost daily for the best part of a month, and it still makes me laugh, and groan.

From The Daily Beast

Sure, if Romney finishes below 40 percent the media will moan and groan that he failed to meet expectations.

From The Daily Beast

When we hear a groan in the audience we know we did something right, because they get it.

From The Daily Beast

The next moment a pistol was fired at their head, and a deep groan shewed it had taken too true an aim.

From Project Gutenberg

With a groan, wrung from the very depths of his heart, he tossed the man a gold-piece; another to the woman.

From Project Gutenberg

Tom sat down as he said this, and, uttering a sort of groan, leaned his back against a tree.

From Project Gutenberg

With a groan and a curse the guerrilla chieftain yielded himself a prisoner.

From Project Gutenberg

You must imagine this sound as something between a grunt and a groan, that the estimable lady gave vent to whenever put out.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cry
• grumble
• murmur
• sigh