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
Synonyms
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
Auto dealers who sell its products have complained that high prices have left inventories piling up.
—
Melvin Backman, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
The late-night show cut to footage of Trump speaking at his rallies in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday, respectively, and complaining about people like Rep. Adam Schiff.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Trump had complained about technical difficulties with his microphone at the rally in Milwaukee.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The tenants complained of bug bites and a growing roach problem.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for complain 
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Melvin Backman, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
The late-night show cut to footage of Trump speaking at his rallies in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday, respectively, and complaining about people like Rep. Adam Schiff.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Trump had complained about technical difficulties with his microphone at the rally in Milwaukee.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The tenants complained of bug bites and a growing roach problem.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for complain
Dictionary Entries Near complain
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complain. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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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