groan

[ grohn ]

/ groʊn /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: groan / groaned / groaning on Thesaurus.com

noun

a low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief: the groans of dying soldiers.

a deep, inarticulate sound uttered in derision, disapproval, desire, etc.

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)

to utter a deep, mournful sound expressive of pain or grief.

to make a deep, inarticulate sound expressive of derision, disapproval, desire, etc.

to make a sound resembling a groan; resound harshly: The steps of the old house groaned under my weight.

to be overburdened or overloaded.

to suffer greatly or lamentably: groaning under an intolerable burden.

verb (used with object)

to utter or express with groans.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

Words nearby groan

grizzled, grizzling, grizzly, grizzly bear, gro., groan, groaner, groat, groats, grocer, groceries

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use groan in a sentence

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.
JBL Reflect Flow Pro active sport earbuds review: Workout-approved true wireless|Quinn Gawronski|February 25, 2022|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.
"You Need to Use Hope like a Club to Beat Your Opponent." Kim Stanley Robinson on Climate Change and Fiction|Aryn Baker|September 8, 2021|Time
Nocturnal grunts, gasps, and groans harmonized to sounds of crashing waves.
Paradise lost: Remembering the popular Rehoboth men’s guest house|James Sears|September 2, 2021|Washington Blade
Mention “virtual class” and you can almost hear a collective groan reverberate through the internet.
How MasterClass became the style-master of MOOCs|Anne Quito|June 5, 2021|Quartz

Immediately following the groan of disappointment, a conspiracy of silence began.
Banning Kahane Google App Won't Work|Zack Parker|July 2, 2013|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.
Copper, the Metal That Runs the World: ‘Boom, Bust, Boom,’ by Bill Carter|Peter Madden|October 26, 2012|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.
The Prozac Costs Extra|Blake Gopnik|April 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Sure, if Romney finishes below 40 percent the media will moan and groan that he failed to meet expectations.
Will New Hampshire’s Primary Matter in the 2012 GOP Nomination Battle?|Howard Kurtz|January 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
When we hear a groan in the audience we know we did something right, because they get it.
Glenn Beck’s ‘Daily Show’ Is the Right’s Latest Bid at Funny|McKay Coppins|November 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The next moment a pistol was fired at their head, and a deep groan shewed it had taken too true an aim.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
With a groan, wrung from the very depths of his heart, he tossed the man a gold-piece; another to the woman.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Tom sat down as he said this, and, uttering a sort of groan, leaned his back against a tree.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
With a groan and a curse the guerrilla chieftain yielded himself a prisoner.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
You must imagine this sound as something between a grunt and a groan, that the estimable lady gave vent to whenever put out.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for groan

groan

/ (ɡrəʊn) /

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

to utter (low inarticulate sounds) expressive of pain, grief, disapproval, etcthey all groaned at Larry's puns

(intr) to make a sound like a groan

(intr, usually foll by beneath or under) to be weighed down (by) or suffer greatly (under)the country groaned under the dictator's rule

(intr) informal to complain or grumble

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

groan

Origin of groan

synonym study for groan

OTHER WORDS FROM groan

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH groan

Words nearby groan

Words related to groan

How to use groan in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for groan

Derived forms of groan

Word Origin for groan