moan
Americannoun
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moans
plural
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a prolonged, low sound uttered from physical or mental suffering.
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a prolonged, low sound uttered from any other strong physical or mental sensation, especially pleasure.
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any prolonged, low sound.
The alarming moan of the engines suggested they'd break down soon.
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complaint or lamentation.
Despite last year's moan about how much effort Christmas is, I'm feeling up to it this year.
verb (used without object)
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moans,
present (3rd person singular)
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moaned,
past participle, past
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moaning
present participle
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to make a prolonged, low sound from physical or mental suffering.
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to make a prolonged, low sound from any other strong physical or mental sensation, especially pleasure.
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(of inanimate objects) to make a prolonged, low sound.
The wind moaned through the trees.
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to complain.
I may moan about the weather here, but at least it doesn't get hot.
verb (used with object)
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moans,
present (3rd person singular)
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moaned,
past participle, past
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moaning
present participle
noun
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a low prolonged mournful sound expressive of suffering or pleading
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any similar mournful sound, esp that made by the wind
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a grumble or complaint
verb
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to utter (words) in a low mournful manner
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(intr) to make a sound like a moan
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(usually intr) to grumble or complain (esp in the phrase moan and groan )
Synonym Usage
See groan.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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moanernoun
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moaningnoun
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moanfuladjective
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unmoanedadjective
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unmoaningadjective
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moanfullyadverb
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moaninglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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moansimple
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moanssimple
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have moanedperfect
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has moanedperfect
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am moaningprogressive
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are moaningprogressive
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is moaningprogressive
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have been moaningperfect progressive
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has been moaningperfect progressive
Past
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moanedsimple
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had moanedperfect
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was moaningprogressive
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were moaningprogressive
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had been moaningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of moan
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English mone, man(e) (noun), Old English mān, unrecorded but inferred from its derivative mǣnan “to mourn”
Explanation
The low sound you make when you're in pain is called a moan. A bad stomachache can leave you bent over, making soft moans. Moan is also a verb, so whenever someone is hurting enough — physically or mentally — there's the possibility they'll moan in despair or discomfort. You can also use this word to mean "whine" or "complain," like when your little sister moans about how much smaller her slice of pie is than yours. Experts think moan is related to the Old English word mænan, "complain or moan," but that it's also imitative — resembling the sound it describes.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Otherwise, you sit there and moan and groan and don’t vote. They’re going to do what they want,” David Goodman said.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
He meets the younger singer on her turf: The track is a theatrical pop confection with a busy, singsong melody, and Mr. Smith’s ageless cracked moan makes him sound like an approving father figure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
You can't moan about having less games - that should give them the physical advantage here.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2025
Training with his uncle meant he could not "moan or fuss", and he said he was treated the same way as all the other boxers at the gym in Essex.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2025
An anguished moan arose from the dormice lying in the ditch.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Fennell begins on a black screen and the sound of creaks and moans.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
“Why am I getting involved with a cinephile?” moans Beau-Beau, speaking for many an indie producer to follow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
Besides, moans about players being ill suited to the new head coach’s systems give lie to the theory some hold that United only kept Ten Hag until something better comes along.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2024
But it’s the contestants’ moans, screams and cramped expressions as they try to suppress their laughter that are really compelling.
From New York Times ● Jan. 18, 2024
Our classes were often interrupted by the rumble of coal cars and the moans of steam locomotives going past.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Many in the audience laughed and applauded, when they should have gasped or moaned.
From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2026
She sang open-throated declarations, recited broken poetic verses, scatted with the authority of a jazz singer, moaned with bluesy intent, and occasionally let loose an unbridled shriek or giggle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
"Palace have to sell Guehi. Palace are not Manchester City. I played in Europe with Wolves with a super small squad. We never moaned, we cracked on. That is just life."
From BBC ● Jan. 18, 2026
I moaned and groaned about the ridiculous minutiae with all my mom friends, but secretly I loved every video about 12 ways to decorate with fairy lights.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2024
Duane grunted and moaned, and just when he thought he was making some progress in digging his cave, he came up against a sturdy wall of snow buried within the snow.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
Here, Fay Victor, a uniquely daring and creative singer, adorns her vocal with all manner of creaking, wailing, moaning and scatting, yet she maintains Bey’s feeling of directing a congregation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
The director’s moaning score here, supplemented with sputtering engines and clanking chains, underline the movie’s ghost-story vibe — the sense that poor Nick is both alive and dead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
“Get me rewrite!” he seems to be moaning.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
And team boss Toto Wolff, who rarely talks on the radio, ordered his protege to "concentrate on the driving, not on the radio moaning".
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
They moved down the gravel to find fresh water and he washed his hair again as well as he could and finally stopped because the boy was moaning with the cold of it.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
