complained; complaining; complains
1
: to express grief, pain, or discontent
complaining about the weather
2
: to make a formal accusation or charge
He threatened to complain of him to the captain.
complainer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of complain in a Sentence
He works hard but he never complains.
If you're unhappy with the service, you should complain to the manager.
The students complained that the test was too hard.
“These shoes are too tight,” he complained.
Recent Examples on the Web
Homeowner groups complained that ED1 projects have been proposed in historic preservation districts, raising the specter of six-story apartment buildings sprouting up next to stately Victorians and rows of Arts and Crafts bungalows.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2024
Residents in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Dublin have clashed with data center developers, complaining of the buildings’ insatiable appetite for power and water.
—Morgan Meaker and Isabel Fraser, WIRED, 3 July 2024
After Ray and other residents living at The Lofts of Palm Aire, the residential community situated directly next to the airport, began to complain, the City of Fort Lauderdale contracted two environmental studies to try to assess the problem.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2024
The inaugural event last year was met with a lot of backlash with many complaining about noise, parking and more.
—Erik S. Hanley, Journal Sentinel, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for complain
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'complain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing complain
Dictionary Entries Near complain
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complain. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
complain
verb
com·plain
kəm-ˈplān
1
: to express grief, pain, or discontent : find fault
complaining about the weather
2
: to accuse someone of wrongdoing
complainer
noun
Medical Definition
complain
intransitive verb
com·plain
kəm-ˈplān
: to speak of one's illness or symptoms
the patient visited the office complaining of weight loss
Legal Definition
complain
intransitive verb
com·plain
: to make a complaint
More from Merriam-Webster on complain
Nglish: Translation of complain for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of complain for Arabic Speakers
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