complained; complaining; complains
1
: to express grief, pain, or discontent
complaining about the weather
2
: to make a formal accusation or charge
He threatened to complain of him to the captain.
complainer
noun
Examples of complain in a Sentence
He works hard but he never complains.
If you're unhappy with the service, you should complain to the manager.
The students complained that the test was too hard.
“These shoes are too tight,” he complained.
Recent Examples on the Web
While many people who renounced their citizenship complained of being unhappy with the political climate in the US, another reason for their decision is often taxes, Alistair Bambridge, a partner at Bambridge Accountants, told CNN in August 2020.
—
Edward Szekeres, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Trump and Vice President JD Vance clashed dramatically with the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office Friday after Zelenskyy complained about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
Employees at Palmetto General and other hospitals that were owned by the for-profit Steward Health have long complained about a lack of supplies, layoffs, ward closings, service cuts, broken equipment, and delayed payments to vendors and staff.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Cybertruck owners in the U.S. have complained of negative reactions to their angular, steel Tesla trucks ranging from rude gestures to more intimidating bullying or harassment.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
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Edward Szekeres, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Trump and Vice President JD Vance clashed dramatically with the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office Friday after Zelenskyy complained about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
Employees at Palmetto General and other hospitals that were owned by the for-profit Steward Health have long complained about a lack of supplies, layoffs, ward closings, service cuts, broken equipment, and delayed payments to vendors and staff.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Cybertruck owners in the U.S. have complained of negative reactions to their angular, steel Tesla trucks ranging from rude gestures to more intimidating bullying or harassment.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complain. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
complain
verb
com·plain
kəm-ˈplān 
1
: to express grief, pain, or discontent : find fault
complaining about the weather
2
: to accuse someone of wrongdoing
complainer
noun
Medical Definition
complain
intransitive verb
com·plain
kəm-ˈplān
: to speak of one's illness or symptoms
the patient visited the office complaining of weight loss
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