How to pronounce moan
Say it like MOHN. Moan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce moan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MOHN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Moan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MOHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of moan
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: MOHN.
What does moan mean?
- A low, mournful cry of pain, sorrow or pleasure.“let out a deep moan”
- To complain about; to bemoan, to bewail; to mourn.
- To grieve.
- To make a moan or similar sound.“She moaned with pleasure and squirmed with delight from receiving oral sex.”
- Of or pertaining to a moa.
Where does moan come from?
Cognate with Old Frisian mēne (“opinion”), Old High German meina (“opinion”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with moan
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of moan.
Questions about saying moan
How do you pronounce moan?
Say MOHN. The American pronunciation is /moʊn/. In British English it is /məʊn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in moan?
Moan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MOHN.
Is moan pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /məʊn/ (MOHN).