22 Other Ways to Say GROAN (With Examples)

You know that deep, low sound you make when you are tired or annoyed? That is a groan. Using the same word over and over can get boring when you write or talk. I want to help you find other ways to say groan so your stories sound much better.

22 Other Ways to Say GROAN (With Examples)

Moan

This word is perfect when you want to show someone is in a little bit of pain or perhaps just very unhappy. It sounds a bit softer than a loud shout but still carries a lot of heavy emotion. You might hear this in a hospital or when someone has a very bad cold. It is a very common sound that people make when they are feeling quite weak or just totally exhausted from a long day.

She let out a soft moan.
The sick boy began to moan.
I heard a low moan tonight.
He gave a moan of pain.
Please stop that constant loud moan.
A tiny moan escaped her lips.

Sigh

Sometimes you do not need to make a big noise to show you are fed up with something. A sigh is just a long breath that lets everyone know you are bored or maybe a little bit sad. It is much quieter than a groan but it still sends a very clear message. You probably do this a lot when you are waiting in a long line or when you have too much homework to finish.

He let out a long sigh.
I heard her heavy, sad sigh.
With a sigh, she sat down.
His sigh filled the quiet room.
She gave a frustrated little sigh.
That was a very loud sigh.

Grumble

If you are feeling a bit grumpy or annoyed about a rule, you might use this word. It describes a low and rumbling sound that usually comes from someone who is complaining under their breath. It is not quite a yell, but it is certainly not a happy noise either. People often do this when they have to wake up early or do chores they really dislike. It is a very moody sound for sure.

I heard him grumble about work.
She started to grumble quite loudly.
Stop that low grumble right now.
He gave a tiny, mean grumble.
I could hear a distant grumble.
Her grumble was heard by everyone.

Whimper

This is a very sad and high pitched sound that usually comes from a person or an animal that is scared. It is much weaker than a groan and shows that someone feels very helpless or small. You might hear a puppy make this sound if it is lonely or a small child if they are lost. It is a sound that makes you want to give the person a very big, warm hug right away.

The puppy gave a soft whimper.
I heard a sad little whimper.
She let out a scared whimper.
His whimper was very hard to hear.
Stop that tiny whimper at once.
A whimper came from the closet.

Cry

While this word often means tears are falling, it can also mean a loud sound of sudden pain or deep distress. It is much more intense than a simple groan and usually happens very quickly. If you stub your toe on a heavy chair, you might let out a sharp cry. It is a natural way for your body to tell the world that something is wrong and you need some help or some basic comfort.

He let out a sudden cry.
I heard a loud, sharp cry.
Her cry echoed through the hall.
She gave a cry of fear.
That cry sounded very painful indeed.
A sudden cry broke the silence.

Mutter

When you are talking to yourself because you are annoyed, you are doing this. It is a low sound where the words are not very clear at all. It is similar to a groan because it shows you are unhappy, but it uses actual words that are just hard to hear. You might do this when your boss gives you a task you hate or when you are walking away from a very silly, boring argument.

He began to mutter to himself.
I heard her mutter a name.
She would mutter under her breath.
Stop that quiet mutter right now.
His mutter was full of anger.
I caught a strange, low mutter.

Murmur

This is a very soft and gentle sound that is usually quite pleasant to hear. However, it can also be used to show a low level of complaint or a quiet groan of dissatisfaction. It is much smoother than a harsh shout and feels very calm. You might hear a murmur in a library or a quiet church. It is the kind of sound that blends into the background without making a big scene at all.

I heard a murmur of protest.
She spoke in a low murmur.
The murmur grew louder very slowly.
He gave a soft, sweet murmur.
A murmur went through the crowd.
I could hear a gentle murmur.

Whine

This is a high sound that people make when they are complaining about something in a very annoying way. Children often do this when they want a toy or a snack that they cannot have. It is much more irritating than a groan because it is usually very long and drawn out. When you hear this sound, you might want to cover your ears because it can be very difficult to listen to for a long time.

Please do not whine like that.
She gave a long, high whine.
The dog began to whine loudly.
I hate that constant, sharp whine.
His whine was very hard to ignore.
Stop that silly whine right now.

Growl

If you are feeling very angry or even a little bit dangerous, you might make this sound. It is a deep and rough noise that comes from the throat. While animals like dogs or bears do this, humans also growl when they are extremely frustrated. It is a much more aggressive version of a groan. It tells people to stay away because you are not in a good mood and might snap at any moment.

He let out a deep growl.
I heard a scary, low growl.
She gave a growl of warning.
The bear made a loud growl.
His growl moved through the air.
Stop that angry growl at me.

Howl

This is a very loud and long sound that usually shows a person is in a lot of pain or very sad. It is like a groan that has been turned up to the highest volume. You might do this if you are mourning someone or if you are laughing so hard that it hurts. It is a very powerful sound that can be heard from a long distance away and it demands a lot of attention.

He began to howl with laughter.
I heard a howl of pain.
The wind began to howl loudly.
She gave a long, sad howl.
That howl was very spooky tonight.
A loud howl woke me up.

Snarl

This is a very mean sound that usually involves showing your teeth while making a low noise. It is a step above a groan because it shows a lot of hate or very strong dislike. You might do this if someone is really bothering you and you want them to stop immediately. It is a very sharp and nasty sound that lets people know you are feeling quite hostile and ready for a big fight.

He gave a nasty, mean snarl.
I heard a snarl of anger.
She let out a sudden snarl.
The wolf gave a low snarl.
His snarl frightened the small cat.
Stop that mean snarl right now.

Bleat

While this word is usually for sheep or goats, you can use it for humans who are complaining in a weak or shaky way. It sounds like a thin and annoying groan that does not have much power behind it. If someone is acting like a victim and making tiny, sad noises, you might say they are doing this. It is a funny way to describe someone who is being a little bit too dramatic or silly.

She began to bleat about money.
I heard a weak, thin bleat.
Stop that silly bleat right now.
He gave a bleat of surprise.
The goat gave a loud bleat.
Her bleat was very annoying today.

Wailing

This is a very long and high sound that people make when they are extremely upset. It is much more intense than a groan and often goes on for a long time. You might hear this at a funeral or after a very bad accident. It is a sound that carries a lot of grief and sorrow. When someone is doing this, they are usually feeling very overwhelmed by their emotions and cannot stay quiet anymore.

I heard the wailing of sirens.
She began wailing in the street.
His wailing was very loud today.
Stop that constant, sad wailing now.
The wailing sound filled the room.
A soft wailing began nearby lately.

Roar

A roar is a huge and very loud sound that shows great power or very strong anger. It is like a groan that has exploded into a giant shout. People might roar when they win a big game or when they are feeling very furious. It is a very physical sound that usually involves the whole body. It is impossible to ignore a roar because it is so big and fills up the entire space around you.

He let out a mighty roar.
I heard the lion give a roar.
She gave a roar of victory.
The crowd began to roar loudly.
His roar shook the whole house.
Stop that loud roar right now.

Creak

Sometimes objects make a groan too and this is the word you use for them. If an old wooden floor or a rusty door makes a long, low sound, it is doing this. It sounds like something is under a lot of pressure or is just very old and tired. This word helps you describe sounds that are not made by humans but still sound like they are complaining about being used or moved around.

I heard the old floor creak.
The door gave a loud creak.
She heard a creak upstairs tonight.
The stairs began to creak loudly.
That creak was very scary indeed.
A slow creak filled the house.

Bellow

When someone makes a very deep and loud sound, they are doing this. It is like a groan that is meant to be heard by a whole crowd of people. It is a very masculine and strong sound that often comes from a place of deep command or huge frustration. If a coach is unhappy with a player, he might make this sound to get their attention quickly. It is very loud and very deep and very strong.

He began to bellow at them.
I heard a bellow of rage.
She gave a loud, deep bellow.
The bull let out a bellow.
His bellow echoed in the gym.
Stop that loud bellowing right now.

Squawk

This is a short and harsh sound that usually sounds a bit surprised or annoyed. It is like a very quick groan that happens when someone is startled or disagrees with you very suddenly. It is often used for birds, but people do it too when they are making a loud and ugly complaint. It is a very funny word to use if you want to describe someone who is making a very silly and loud noise.

The bird gave a loud squawk.
She let out a sudden squawk.
I heard a squawk of protest.
Stop that loud squawk right now.
His squawk made me laugh aloud.
A strange squawk came from him.

Bawl

This word describes a very loud and messy way of crying or groaning. It is what babies do when they are hungry or what adults do when they are completely heartbroken. It is a very noisy sound that involves a lot of breath and usually a lot of tears too. It is much more active and loud than a regular groan. It shows that the person has totally lost control of their feelings for a short period.

The baby began to bawl loudly.
I heard him bawl for help.
She started to bawl in pain.
Stop that loud bawl right now.
His bawl was heard outside easily.
A loud bawl filled the nursery.

Gasp

A gasp is a quick intake of breath that can sound like a very short groan. It usually happens when someone is shocked or in a lot of pain. It is a very sharp sound that shows someone is surprised by something that just happened. It is much faster than a groan and does not last very long at all. You might gasp if you see something beautiful or if you hear some very shocking news today.

She let out a loud gasp.
I heard a gasp of surprise.
He gave a quick, sharp gasp.
A gasp came from the crowd.
His gasp was very quiet today.
Stop that sudden gasp right now.

Sob

This is a quiet and shaky sound that people make when they are crying. It is a series of short groans that show a lot of sadness. It is much more emotional than a regular groan and usually means the person is very hurt inside. You might do this when you are trying to stay quiet but your feelings are just too strong to hold back. It is a very human and very touching sound to hear.

I heard a soft, sad sob.
She began to sob very quietly.
His sob broke my poor heart.
A sob escaped from her throat.
Stop that tiny sob right now.
I heard a sob in dark.

Yelping

This is a very quick and sharp sound of pain. It is like a groan that has been cut very short. You might do this if someone steps on your foot or if you get a sudden pinch. It is a very high sound that shows you were not expecting to get hurt. It is a very common sound for small dogs to make when they are surprised or play a bit too rough with their big human friends.

The dog began yelping in pain.
I heard a sudden yelping noise.
Stop that loud yelping right now.
She gave a quick yelping sound.
His yelping was very sharp today.
A tiny yelping came from him.

Squeak

This is a very high and tiny sound that can be a way of groaning if you are very nervous. It is not a strong sound at all. In fact, it is very weak and shows that someone might be a little bit scared or shy. You might squeak if you are trying to speak but your voice is not working correctly. It is a very cute sound but it shows that you are not feeling very confident right now.

She let out a tiny squeak.
I heard a squeak of fear.
The mouse gave a little squeak.
Stop that funny squeak right now.
His squeak made us all smile.
A soft squeak came from her.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed learning these 22 new words today. Using other ways to say groan will make your writing much more fun and colorful for everyone who reads it. It is always a great idea to try new words when you are talking with your friends or family. These simple tips will help you become a much better communicator very quickly. Keep practicing these words every single day and you will see a very big difference in your English skills.