whiny
Americanadjective
adjective
-
high-pitched and plaintive
-
peevish; complaining
Usage
What does whiny mean? Whiny is an adjective describing someone who is complaining in an annoying way, especially in a high-pitched tone of voice. To whine is to moan or make a high-pitched cry, or to say something in such a way. It also means to complain, especially by talking in such a way. Whiny is always used negatively to criticize such behavior. It can be used to describe a person or their words or actions. It is also spelled whiney. Example: People might help you with your problems if you weren’t so whiny about them.
Other Word Forms
- whininess noun
Etymology
Origin of whiny
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.
In fact, she seems to think he’s a whiny little worm.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025
The stream of implementation emails is so whiny and ridiculous it should be funny.
From Slate • Feb. 3, 2025
The main tone of the videos is whiny, as the hosts complain endlessly that career federal employees look down on them.
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2025
Were my complaints to my friends that whiny?
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2024
Most of the time if I started sounding weepy and whiny he’d take right off.
From "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis
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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.