whiny

Or whin·ey

[hwahy-nee, wahy-]

adjective

whinier, whiniest 

1. complaining; fretful; cranky.

   The baby is whiny because he missed his nap.

whiny

/ ˈwaɪnɪ /

adjective

1. high-pitched and plaintive

2. peevish; complaining

Other Word Forms

• whininess noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of whiny¹

First recorded in 1850–55; whine + -y ¹

Example Sentences

In fact, she seems to think he’s a whiny little worm.

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For years, there has been a wave of whiny “manosphere” influencers and right-wing pundits telling men that they are the real victims — that feminism has gone “too far” and masculinity is under attack.

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He is, however, at least slightly better dressed than a peasant screaming invectives in a whiny British accent.

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Now Trump's Cabinet members are picking up the claim that the problem isn't rising prices, but parents who need to be sterner with whiny little girls.

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And we are asked to see the "vulnerable" as a small number of whiny people on death’s door anyway.

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Related Words

• cranky 
• fractious 
• impatient 
• irritable 
• perverse 
• sullen 
• testy 

When To Use

What does whiny mean?

Whiny is an adjective describing someone who is complaining in an annoying way, especially in a high-pitched tone of voice.To whine is to moan or make a high-pitched cry, or to say something in such a way. It also means to complain, especially by talking in such a way. Whiny is always used negatively to criticize such behavior. It can be used to describe a person or their words or actions. It is also spelled whiney.Example: People might help you with your problems if you weren’t so whiny about them.