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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complain
The sheriff’s office told KHOU the upstairs neighbor and downstairs neighbor were complaining when the situation began to escalate.
—
Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
Certain team members thrive on complaining but rarely contribute solutions.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
In one city, Reynosa, the national guard had to scale back its vehicle inspections after local officials and business owners complained of traffic backups of up to six hours.
—Mary Beth Sheridan The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025
His quip followed Trump’s shocking Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, with the president berating Ukraine’s leader and complaining at the treatment shown to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
Certain team members thrive on complaining but rarely contribute solutions.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
In one city, Reynosa, the national guard had to scale back its vehicle inspections after local officials and business owners complained of traffic backups of up to six hours.
—Mary Beth Sheridan The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025
His quip followed Trump’s shocking Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, with the president berating Ukraine’s leader and complaining at the treatment shown to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complain
Verb
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One day, the sky was grey, wind blew up my pant legs, giant construction machines whined loudly down the street, and a neighbor’s windchimes unleashed a flurry of complaints.—
Kate Siber,
Outside Online,
3 Mar. 2025
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As to the kids’ responses, the more genial Olmo is not above whining, while parental demands usually provoke flat-out insolence from Ana, who breathes cigarette smoke like dragon fire.—
Sheri Linden,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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There, Garrett screamed at his girlfriend, a guest in a neighboring room would later tell Tricia.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2025
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Her six-game outburst in the state preliminaries screamed of consistency, with no score lower than 217 and none higher than 269.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Thompson and Nwodim moaned as Gardner said a customer was shot during an argument over Drake and Kendrick.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2025
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And all that online chatter, all those detractors who keep moaning about the Chiefs playing in the biggest games of the year every year?—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The downside: Some players have grumbled about being gawked at by fans on the grounds.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
27 Feb. 2025
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For decades, Yankees players, for the most part, grumbled but complied.—
Marc Edelman,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Ally and Jay are both sarcastic, too — their best lines are muttered under their breaths — and their repartee becomes more interesting than the bloody theatrics.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2025
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But unlike France — which has both Napoleonic history and darkly muttering existentialists wandering the streets of Paris to remind everyone just how bad things can get — we Americans have no natural immunity.—
Pat Beall,
Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Twenty-two percent worry about the potentially dangerous consequences of messing up, such as plumbing leaks or electrical problems.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Mar. 2025
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The young centre barely had time to worry about making a first impression on his new team: The Senators hosted the Rangers at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.—
Julian McKenzie,
The Athletic,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complain. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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