complaint
Americannoun
-
complaints
plural
-
an expression of discontent, regret, pain, censure, resentment, or grief; lament; faultfinding.
his complaint about poor schools.
-
a cause of discontent, pain, grief, lamentation, etc.
-
a cause of bodily pain or ailment; malady.
The doctor says I suffer from a rare complaint.
-
Law. the first pleading of the plaintiff in a civil action, stating the cause of action.
noun
-
the act of complaining; an expression of grievance
-
a cause for complaining; grievance
-
a mild ailment
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of complaint
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compleynte, from Middle French complainte, from Latin com- com- + plancta plaint
Explanation
A complaint is an objection to something that is unfair, unacceptable, or otherwise not up to normal standards. If your neighbors have a complaint about noise, they want you to be more quiet. A complaint is voiced objection to something, like a complaint about cold or disgusting-tasting food in a restaurant. Complaint is also a legal term — the plaintiff's reasons for bringing a civil action. Medically speaking, a complaint is a disorder or disease that is hard to cure completely. Loud cries of pain, anger, or sadness can also be called complaints.
Vocabulary lists containing complaint
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 15
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Clever Magistrate"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Pass It On," "If There Be Pain," and "Sonnet 30"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The lawsuit was filed ahead of an October deadline to finish the project or risk lenders’ demand for repayment from LINXS, according to the complaint.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Meta, Oakley and Ray-Ban face a criminal complaint in Germany over whether the companies’ AI glasses breach the country’s strict privacy rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Rhondda Cynon Taf council said it received a noise complaint in June relating to music being played after 20:00 BST, which it investigated and found to be valid.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The complaint stated that between Jan. 2, 2024, and March 31, 2025, the Sheriff’s Department received almost 4,000 applications for new concealed carry licenses, but issued only two.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Only when they were having coffee did Arcadio reveal the motive behind his visit: he had received a complaint against José Arcadio.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Bradnam said he had not received any "formal response" to his complaints, nor any "confirmation that my recommendations have been implemented or that the assurance gaps they identified have been addressed".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
In the weeks since the fire burned and cleanup began, Lineage has been slowly and consistently racking up fines tied to poor air quality and complaints from the community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The council said it had a legal duty to investigate noise complaints and it had a duty to enforce the rules.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
It reported a quarterly loss tied to increased costs surrounding the World Cup, a day after The Wall Street Journal reported it was facing a flood of complaints related to ticketing issues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Kendra never had any complaints about her mom’s cooking, but Lena was in a class all her own.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
