groaned; groaning; groans
1
: to utter a deep moan indicative of pain, grief, or annoyance
groaned when she saw the bill
2
: to make a harsh sound (as of creaking) under sudden or prolonged strain
The chair groaned under his weight.
: to utter or express with groaning
groaned their despair
groan
noun
Examples of groan in a Sentence
The wounded man groaned in pain.
She groaned when she saw the bill.
“Oh, no,” she groaned, “I'm going to have to start all over.”
She groaned that she would have to start all over.
Merchants are groaning over slow holiday sales.
He's always moaning and groaning about his salary.
The chair groaned under his weight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dan Kenyon’s dense sound design is another highly effective component, often blurring the lines between ambient noise and composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s chilling score, which incorporates clanking, groaning, juddering industrial sounds and leans heavily into distortion.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
As that news was read across the world, sensible MMA fans had to collectively groan.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Glory be to god for this quiet, cheap hotel room:
only music the mini-fridge’s vibratory drone,
creaky plumbing groaning through the walls.
—Virginia Konchan, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
This is an important detail in a city that, like others, has groaned under the financial strain of an influx of migrants since December 2022.
—Anita Alves Pena, The Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for groan 
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
As that news was read across the world, sensible MMA fans had to collectively groan.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Glory be to god for this quiet, cheap hotel room:
only music the mini-fridge’s vibratory drone,
creaky plumbing groaning through the walls.
—Virginia Konchan, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
This is an important detail in a city that, like others, has groaned under the financial strain of an influx of migrants since December 2022.
—Anita Alves Pena, The Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for groan
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'groan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near groan
Cite this Entry
“Groan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groan. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
groan
verb1
: to utter a deep moan of pain, grief, or irritation
2
: to make a harsh sound under strain
the chair groaned under my weight
groan
noun
groaner
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share