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
Trump cut off trade talks with the northern neighbor on June 27, complaining about Canada’s triple-digit tariffs on dairy products.
—
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Three days prior, 86-year-old Stevens had complained of chest pain and was admitted to a Nashville hospital.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 11 July 2025
Some downtown residents have complained about advertisements that wrap apartment buildings, hotels and more — but the trolley wraps don’t seem to get the same complaints.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Generally, supporters aren’t that sympathetic to players at the highest level complaining about the idea that they’re being made to play too much football (as some of the replies to Kounde’s post on social media illustrated), largely because of their wages.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Three days prior, 86-year-old Stevens had complained of chest pain and was admitted to a Nashville hospital.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 11 July 2025
Some downtown residents have complained about advertisements that wrap apartment buildings, hotels and more — but the trolley wraps don’t seem to get the same complaints.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Generally, supporters aren’t that sympathetic to players at the highest level complaining about the idea that they’re being made to play too much football (as some of the replies to Kounde’s post on social media illustrated), largely because of their wages.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complain
Verb
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Supercharger whine simply never gets old, and after burning through over half a tank of gas in one sitting, coolant temps never got anywhere near concerning.—
Peter Nelson,
ArsTechnica,
1 Aug. 2025
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Even in the quietest mode with valving closed down, the engine and exhaust and supercharger whine go barking mad with the lightest blip of throttle, making the temptation to heel-toe through every downshift almost inescapable.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Verb
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Unfortunately, the Who’s separation with Starkey was the equivalent of peeling off a child’s Band-Aid very slowly while the kid screams, putting the Band-Aid back on, and then doing it all over again.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
28 July 2025
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Julia Tate was headed to bed a few weeks ago when her daughter burst into their rowhouse screaming.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 July 2025
Verb
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Now-tired 2010 fads that Lorde pioneered, including bittersweet tropical-pop textures and moaning vocal snippets, are everywhere.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
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After one season, he was forcefully rejected by the community, which moaned to the press (and the local police) that the tranquil pondside inn was becoming a celebrity- and influencer-infested late-night party spot just like his club in the city.—
Brock Colyar,
Curbed,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Perhaps the more significant takeaway is how little public grumbling there was after the House adjourned Thursday for the long President's Day weekend.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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There is nothing new about a president grumbling about a Fed that has allegedly kept interest rates too high.—
The Editors,
National Review,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Police searched for Best and his son Zeke for two days before a group of hunters came across the father naked in the snow alongside a local highway and muttering incoherently with baby Zeke laying dead nearby, PEOPLE reported at the time.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
28 July 2025
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Before immediately snapping, sighing loudly, or muttering a passive-aggressive comment, try pausing to consider what else might be going on first: Maybe your barista’s slammed with 10 other complicated orders, for instance, or your housemate had a brutal week at work.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
17 June 2025
Verb
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Still, shivering in the night chill and worrying about sharks for something that may not even lead to a good ride?—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
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But don't worry, CoHorts hive, Green and Viotti promise the heart of the novel remains intact in the film, which Susan McMartin adapted.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complain. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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