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

Ms Dias, who does not speak French, reportedly filed a complaint with police in Choisy-le-Roi with the help of her brother, who translated her testimony.

Read more on BBC

DOJ officials framed the action as enforcement of federal civil-rights protections — the Voting Rights Act and related laws — and said Civil Rights personnel would be available to receive complaints and coordinate with U.S.

Read more on Salon

You’re telling me to bet on American infrastructure when I can’t even get the pothole on my street fixed after two years of complaints?

Read more on MarketWatch

Executives monitored sporadic complaints online over menu changes and renovated locations with fewer wall-hanging tchotchkes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He has been less detailed on the other federal demands, leading to faculty complaints over how UC has handled negotiations and communicated updates to employees.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.