whinge
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
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to cry in a fretful way
-
to complain
noun
Usage
What does whinge mean? Whinge means to complain or whine. Whinge is primarily used in the U. K. and Australia. Like whine, whinge can mean to make a whining noise (often as part of complaining), or to complain with such a tone, or simply to complain in a way that’s considered annoying. When you say that someone’s whinging, you’re criticizing them because they’re complaining in an annoying way, especially about something minor. Whinge can also be used as a noun referring to a complaint, but this use is much less common than its verb sense. The variant spelling winge is primarily used in Australia. Example: John’s mother told him not to whinge about having to spend time with his relatives.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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whingesimple
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whingessimple
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have whingedperfect
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has whingedperfect
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am whingeingprogressive
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am whingingprogressive
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are whingeingprogressive
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are whingingprogressive
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is whingeingprogressive
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is whingingprogressive
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have been whingeingperfect progressive
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have been whingingperfect progressive
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has been whingeingperfect progressive
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has been whingingperfect progressive
Past
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whingedsimple
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had whingedperfect
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was whingeingprogressive
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was whingingprogressive
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were whingeingprogressive
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were whingingprogressive
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had been whingeingperfect progressive
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had been whingingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of whinge
First recorded before 1150; dialectal Scots, North England, earlier Scots quhynge, Old English hwinsian (not recorded in Middle English ); cognate with Old High German winsōn ( German winseln ); derivative of Germanic base of whine
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 likes of Ellis Genge might whinge and moan about former pros not understanding what it takes, but unfortunately they do because they have been successful in the past and won trophies.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2025
You will whinge to the school and demand meetings and they will say they hear your concern and nothing will happen,’ ” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2024
Normally a lead at the Masters with two holes to play would be cause to whinge about why Augusta National doesn’t attach airsickness bags to the pines, but here the nervous system could lounge.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 10, 2022
It can be physically unsettling as we begin to move and our heart rates and breathing quicken and muscles start to whinge.
From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2021
Self-conscious writers are also apt to whinge about how what they’re about to do is so terribly difficult and complicated and controversial: What are intractable conflicts?
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
He added: "With some of the comments that have been made, we're now in danger of looking like a sport that whinges when it loses, and that's not the sport I recognise."
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2021
“She’s always sad, she whinges all the time, she doesn’t stop crying. Why are we compelled?”
From The Guardian ● Jul. 14, 2018
“Everyone wrings their hands and whinges out about young girls, but we can’t get into schools,” Venter says.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 9, 2018
His 1987 book Chuck Berry: The Autobiography revealed a man with no need of a ghostwriter, no self-serving whinges and a strong sense of black history.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 19, 2017
“Sixteen fifty?” whinges the old guy in his suit.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
Some of his players will have to change in the corridor, Galthie whinged.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026
Certain visitors whined, whinged and wept, especially as they approached the exit.
From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2024
Men made similar complaints about women, but whatever – I've known men who have whinged about women being "high maintenance" when they've tried to dust the TV while they're watching sport.
From The Guardian ● May 25, 2013
Quite funny either way, because they have whinged a bit.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 23, 2010
I whinged that it didn't smell of anything, but she pointed out I wasn't the one who had to hoover and unpick the needles from the carpet.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
The jury was told that she sang: "Genevieve, Genevieve, stop your whingeing, Genevieve" on one occasion.
From BBC ● May 20, 2024
Hence the term "whingeing Pom" was coined, he wryly adds.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2023
While Arquette doesn’t regret speaking up, she still seems exasperated with the “stupid” media for depicting her as a spoiled Hollywood actress whingeing about her own pay.
From The Guardian ● May 26, 2019
“Of course things go wrong. If this was easy, someone else out would do it, so stop whingeing and carry on,” he said, using a British term for whining.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 19, 2019
Once in a while, when there’s an argument, people laugh and call out to us about who’s cheating, who’s winning, and who’s whingeing.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
Possibly that’s because New Yorkers already do such a bang-up job of whinging about their own city that they don’t need an assist from professional comedians.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2023
A universal principle of politics is that whinging is not an effective substitute for organization.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 27, 2022
As for Solskjaer whinging about an infringement by Ollie Watkins on David de Gea for the goal, I have never heard such tosh.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2021
All the whinging about the toxic social media landscape is due to the belief that Twitter is actual communication, rather than a useless platform that delivers zingers, not argument or well-thought out ideas.
From New York Times ● Dec. 29, 2017
“It wouldn’t hurt to say ‘Good morning’ before you start whinging, Elizabeth,” she scolds.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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.
