complain
Americanverb (used without object)
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to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault.
He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor.
- Antonyms:
- rejoice
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to tell of one's pains, ailments, etc..
to complain of a backache.
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to make a formal accusation.
If you think you've been swindled, complain to the police.
verb
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to express resentment, displeasure, etc, esp habitually; grumble
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(foll by of) to state the presence of pain, illness, etc, esp in the hope of sympathy
she complained of a headache
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
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complainableadjective
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complaininglyadverb
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uncomplainedadjective
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uncomplaininglyadverb
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complainernoun
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uncomplainingadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have complainedperfect
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has complainedperfect 3rd person singular
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am complainingprogressive 1st person singular
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is complainingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been complainingperfect progressive
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are complainingprogressive
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complainssingular 3rd person
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has been complainingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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complainingparticiple
Past
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had complainedperfect
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were complainingprogressive plural
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complainedsimple
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was complainingprogressive singular
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had been complainingperfect progressive
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complainedparticiple
Future
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”; see plaint
Explanation
To complain is to express your unhappiness about something. You might complain to your landlord about a raise in your rent, or to the cops about your noisy neighbors. Just don't whine; it won't get you anywhere. Speakers of Yiddish will know that complain is often interchangeable with kvetch, which is what you do when you don't like the food or the small portions. But you can complain in a more formal way by, say, writing a letter or even filing a lawsuit. But whether the issue is large or small, do yourself a favor and don't complain too often, or people might stop taking you seriously.
Vocabulary lists containing complain
"The Railway Train" by Emily Dickinson
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Shiloh
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Sarah, Plain and Tall
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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.
Edwards said he was "amazed" by the reaction, adding: "I guess a big part of British culture is to complain about the post or trains being late, so it rings true for so many."
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
If people happily complain about waking up the next day with sore feet, then it was a good day.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
It was pretty miserable — but I wasn’t about to complain about free housing.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
As he would complain to his half-brother Augustine:
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
“Nothing,” I’d tell her, because I didn’t have enough of anything in me even to complain.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
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.
