as in whined
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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Recent Examples of complained
In the past, fans and competitors have complained of long gaps in the schedule to start the season.
—
Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Gil complained that the mound was slick, and the grounds crew came out to work on it in between innings.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Although the underlings complained about my methods, the cartel leaders, like Pedro and his boss, El Viejo, a key deputy of Pablo Escobar, were on my side.
—Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
Residents complained Mid City Mall had dirty facilities and lacked adequate security, claims that were rebuffed by then-owner Guy McGaughey.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Sep. 2025
This was the start of many long conversations, and our classes often went over, but no one complained.
—Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
Kepler complained earlier this season about his usage.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
The vehicle was impounded last week after being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors complained of a rotting smell.
—Andrew Flanagan, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Apparently without recognizing the irony, the same AI companies who steal our work to build their models have complained vociferously about China’s theft of their IP for DeepSeekAI.
—Ruth Vitale, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Gil complained that the mound was slick, and the grounds crew came out to work on it in between innings.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Although the underlings complained about my methods, the cartel leaders, like Pedro and his boss, El Viejo, a key deputy of Pablo Escobar, were on my side.
—Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
Residents complained Mid City Mall had dirty facilities and lacked adequate security, claims that were rebuffed by then-owner Guy McGaughey.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Sep. 2025
This was the start of many long conversations, and our classes often went over, but no one complained.
—Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
Kepler complained earlier this season about his usage.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
The vehicle was impounded last week after being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors complained of a rotting smell.
—Andrew Flanagan, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Apparently without recognizing the irony, the same AI companies who steal our work to build their models have complained vociferously about China’s theft of their IP for DeepSeekAI.
—Ruth Vitale, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complained
Verb
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Witnesses screamed in horror and fled for cover after the bullet struck Kirk in the neck.—
Michael Ruiz , Peter D'Abrosca , Julia Bonavita , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , David Spunt , CB Cotton,
FOXNews.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Images shared on social media showed flames shooting high into the air as people screamed and ran from the scene in the Iztapalapa borough.—
Rocío Muñoz-Ledo,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From the other room, the victim moaned.—
Stephanie Kuzydym,
The Courier-Journal,
15 Aug. 2025
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Yankees fans have moaned and groaned about Aaron Boone’s deployment of Williams in crucial situations this season, and it’s only exacerbated now that every game counts in the postseason race.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Although full disclosure, those two words were muttered in the press box Sunday after Nix had thrown two unsightly picks through the first three quarters of the Broncos’ win over Tennessee.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
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There are few actors whose disembodied voices could carry long stretches of cinema, but Dafoe manages it, turning monologues about marionette mechanics or muttered complaints about hotel politics into something weirdly magnetic.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The novel, published to immediate controversy in India—an obscenity suit was filed over its portrayal of an intercaste romance—offended her Syrian Christian kin, who grumbled about misrepresentation.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
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At those, Democrats restless about their party’s direction grumbled at Levin’s answers and urged more action from their leaders; one event was disrupted by protests over Israel’s killing of Palestinians in Gaza.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Traders worried about inflation tend to pour money in gold, which some believe holds an intrinsic value that hedges against rising prices.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
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Some scientists worried such accidents might genuinely threaten our existence.—
Thomas Moynihan,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complained. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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