complaint

[kuhm-pleynt]

noun

1. an expression of discontent, regret, pain, censure, resentment, or grief; lament; faultfinding.

   his complaint about poor schools.

2. a cause of discontent, pain, grief, lamentation, etc.

3. a cause of bodily pain or ailment; malady.

   The doctor says I suffer from a rare complaint.

   Synonyms: ailment, illness, sickness

4. Law.,  the first pleading of the plaintiff in a civil action, stating the cause of action.

complaint

/ kəmˈpleɪnt /

noun

1. the act of complaining; an expression of grievance

2. a cause for complaining; grievance

3. a mild ailment

4. English law a statement by which a civil proceeding in a magistrates' court is commenced

Other Word Forms

• countercomplaint noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of complaint¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compleynte, from Middle French complainte, from Latin com- com- + plancta plaint

Example Sentences

But the Parents Television Council Inc. — whose members lodged thousands of indecency complaints with the Federal Communications Commission — has folded.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Among their complaints: uncertainty regarding rule processes in public listings, related costs and concerns over shareholder proxy processes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The consultation is based on a Supreme Court judgment this summer which upheld a consumer’s complaint that the relationship with the car dealer, which charged a hidden and disproportionate commission, wasn’t fair.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

All of these are straightforward violations of the 1939 Hatch Act, which bans federal employees from engaging in political activities, according to a recent complaint filed by the advocacy group Public Citizen.

Read more on Salon

It has filed more than 800 complaints in various jurisdictions on behalf of internet users.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• accusation 
• charge 
• criticism 
• grievance 
• gripe 
• objection 
• protest 
• trouble 

When To Use

What does complaint mean?

A complaint is a statement about something you’re unhappy or upset about. It has more specific meanings in legal and medical contexts.Complaint is the noun form of the verb complain. In legal terms, a complaint is the document that officially initiates a legal proceeding. In medicine, it refers to a symptom or cause of pain as reported by a patient.Example: I liked the movie, but my one complaint is that the women in the cast didn’t get enough screen time.