as in to whine
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the time-honored tradition of new recruits complaining about the food in the mess hall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of complain
Trump has repeatedly criticized The Washington Post, which Bezos owns, and complained about its coverage of his first term.
—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Trump responded to Wray’s announcement on Wednesday by pushing for Patel’s confirmation and complaining about his legal troubles.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024
When Democrats complained, Republicans pointed towards the sordid history of Democratic gerrymandering in North Carolina and argued, essentially, that turnabout was fair play.
—Christopher Cooper / Made By History, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
Several attendees of a holiday event in O'Fallon, Missouri, have complained about poor organization and safety hazards at its opening night on Friday.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for complain 
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Trump responded to Wray’s announcement on Wednesday by pushing for Patel’s confirmation and complaining about his legal troubles.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024
When Democrats complained, Republicans pointed towards the sordid history of Democratic gerrymandering in North Carolina and argued, essentially, that turnabout was fair play.
—Christopher Cooper / Made By History, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
Several attendees of a holiday event in O'Fallon, Missouri, have complained about poor organization and safety hazards at its opening night on Friday.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for complain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complain
Verb
-
Dodgers Plaschke: Baseball fans can whine, but there’s nothing wrong with the way the Dodgers are winning Dec. 4, 2024 Plate discipline has also been a strength for Conforto, who drew 84 walks in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons for the Mets.Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Loughlin should show respect, not expect special privileges and not whine about her case.Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
This mix of bright green, blue, pink, and pink in a chrome finish by celebrity nail artist Britney Tokyo just screams NYE party.Audrey Noble, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024
-
Over nearly 24 hours on July 4, 2022, Santiago heard muffled thuds and screams from the adjacent cell.Christie Thompson, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
There also isn't a dry forehead in the studio, as the tough session has left them all moaning and groaning.David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
-
Everything seems fine and dandy until nightfall, when Nana spends her evenings crawling around on her hands and knees and moaning.James Grebey, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2024
Verb
-
Issue of the weekend His defending champions are top of the league, remain competitive in Europe and have an attack as formidable as their defence is mean — Peter Bosz cannot have much to grumble about.Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
-
But after two hours, the broken ice began to drift into the decoys — causing Yamane to grumble ominously to himself.Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Elder economists muttered darkly of ancient times when the CPI rose by double digits, yet many a year had passed with no inflation sightings.Kevin Coldiron, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
-
When Valdivia declined to give him any money, the man allegedly muttered expletives before turning away.Landon Mion, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
After Thompson was gunned down on a Manhattan sidewalk heading to the company’s investor day, businesses worry their executives face a higher risk of violence.Jacob Pramuk, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Let Bvlgari Do The Decorating At Bvlgari London, those who book the Bvlgari Suite for Christmas need not worry about bringing any festive décor.Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near complain
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complain. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share