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
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.
