whining
Americanadjective
-
uttering a nasal, complaining cry, as from peevishness, discontent, uneasiness, etc..
If there’s one sound that makes me want to tear my ears off, it’s the sound of a whining tomcat.
Our daughter has grown from a whining child on the first day of playgroup to one who asks to go even on Saturdays.
-
complaining in a petulant, self-pitying way.
Those whining people who blame everyone and think everyone is against them need to grow up.
-
making or being a drawn-out, high-pitched sound.
In courtship, the male of the white-eyed vireo displays to the female by fluffing its plumage, spreading its tail, and uttering a whining call.
noun
-
the act or habit of crying or complaining in a peevish way.
Can I give you a bit more work today if I have to, and not get any whining from you?
-
the act of making a drawn-out, high-pitched sound.
A few hours later the whining of a chainsaw began.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of whining
First recorded in 1400–50; whin(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; whin(e) ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses
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.
“I don’t know what y’all are whining about,” he once said as the crowd jeered him after yet another victory.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
That said, my siblings and I got tired of the whining and agreed that she would only have to pay the lesser of $3 million or the appraised price of the house.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 19, 2026
The intrigue was so great Eagles haters even temporarily stopped whining about the Tush Push, Philadelphia’s custom short-yardage body catapult that has become the bane of opponents and referees.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025
Would you prefer for your team to be owned by someone whining about the Dodgers and their payroll, or someone dedicated to beating them?
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025
The dogs were shedding their winter coats, whining and restless to be off the ship again, and growing hungrier every day.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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.
