NYT Dictionary

GROAN

/ˈɡɹoʊ̯n/
NounVerbGROANgroan · 1 syllableGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025

Meaning

A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English gronen, granen, from Old English grānian (“to groan; lament; murmur”), from Proto-West Germanic *grainōn, from Proto-Germanic *grainōną (“to howl; weep”), from Proto-Germanic *grīnaną (“to whine; howl; whimper”). Cognate with Scots grain (“to cry, scream”), Dutch grijnen, grienen (“to cry; sob; blubber”), German Low German grienen (“to whimper; mewl”), German greinen (“to whine; whimper”), Swedish grina (“to howl; weep; laugh”). The noun is from Middle English gron, grone, from the verb.

Synonyms & Antonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 5 recorded puzzles:

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