complaint
Americannoun
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an expression of discontent, regret, pain, censure, resentment, or grief; lament; faultfinding.
his complaint about poor schools.
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a cause of discontent, pain, grief, lamentation, etc.
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a cause of bodily pain or ailment; malady.
The doctor says I suffer from a rare complaint.
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Law. the first pleading of the plaintiff in a civil action, stating the cause of action.
noun
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the act of complaining; an expression of grievance
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a cause for complaining; grievance
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a mild ailment
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English law a statement by which a civil proceeding in a magistrates' court is commenced
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
- countercomplaint noun
Etymology
Origin of complaint
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compleynte, from Middle French complainte, from Latin com- com- + plancta 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.
The group deposited government funds into bank accounts held by other conspirators charged in the case, including $33 million into a bank account held by Sarkis Ksachikyan, according to the criminal complaint.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
In another criminal complaint, which also names the couple, another 16 people are charged with insurance fraud, identity theft and conspiracy to commit health insurance fraud.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
They are charged with conspiracy and insurance fraud for allegedly submitting bogus claims to Medi-Cal for Cherish Hospice Inc., Emanuel Hospice and Azure Hospice Care Inc., according to a criminal complaint.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Jodie also said she feels let down by Ulster University and how they dealt with her complaint about Garfield's harassment.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
Without complaint, he ate his dinner—a dry brown sponge that he thought was supposed to be meat loaf and gelatinous mashed potatoes, though he left the hockey-puck roll alone.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
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.
