complain
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault.
He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor.
- Antonyms:
- rejoice
-
to tell of one's pains, ailments, etc..
to complain of a backache.
-
to make a formal accusation.
If you think you've been swindled, complain to the police.
verb
-
to express resentment, displeasure, etc, esp habitually; grumble
-
(foll by of) to state the presence of pain, illness, etc, esp in the hope of sympathy
she complained of a headache
Related Words
Complain, grumble, growl, whine are terms for expressing dissatisfaction or discomfort. To complain is to protest against or lament a wrong: to complain about high prices. To grumble is to utter ill-natured complaints half to oneself: to grumble about the service. Growl may express more anger than grumble : to growl in reply to a question. To whine is to complain in a meanspirited way, using a nasal tone: to whine like a coward, like a spoiled child.
Other Word Forms
- complainable adjective
- complainer noun
- complainingly adverb
- uncomplained adjective
- uncomplaining adjective
- uncomplainingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of complain
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compleinen, from Anglo-French compleign-, stem of compleindre, Old French complaindre, from Vulgar Latin complangere (unrecorded), from Latin com- com- + plangere “to beat, lament, strike”; plaint
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meanwhile, traders and shopkeepers complain that Hamas has imposed heavy taxes on goods and services – pushing up prices in Gaza even further.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Chemicals is one of the most important sectors in Europe's biggest economy but key industry players complain of high energy costs, onerous EU regulations and fierce foreign competition.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
“A lot of people complain that the device in their pocket takes away their time from family and friends and the things that matter most,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026
“They still complain about it on talk shows.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026
Only to recoil, drop the lid down again, and complain loudly to Ilse.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
