complaint
noun
com·plaint
kəm-ˈplānt 
1
: expression of grief, pain, or dissatisfaction
She did her chores without complaint.
2
a
: something that is the cause or subject of protest or outcry
Inefficiency was the main complaint against the local government.
b
: a bodily ailment or disease
The patient's complaint was frequent headaches.
3
a
: the initial pleading that starts a lawsuit and that sets forth the plaintiff's allegations against the defendant
b
: a document sworn to by a crime victim or police officer that sets forth a criminal offense and commences proceedings in a magistrate's court
Examples of complaint in a Sentence
The board has received a number of complaints about the new policy.
The company has a system to handle customer complaints.
The lack of parking spaces is a common complaint among the city's residents.
The lack of financial support is our biggest complaint.
He is being treated for a stomach complaint.
Shortness of breath was a common complaint among the patients.
Recent Examples on the Web
At some point during the protest, Ivery approached a US Border Patrol agent and shouted something at him, according to the complaint.
—
Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
The story revealed Lively had filed a precursor complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
The denim purveyor said in its complaint that the tab trademark has come to be known as a concrete signal that consumers are buying an authentic Levi’s product and argued that extraneous uses of that trademark could dilute or harm its own brand.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 31 Oct. 2025
That night, a minority of protesters had blocked roads, threw water bottles and rocks at officers and vandalized property, police said, according to the complaint, leading authorities to issue a dispersal order.
—Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complaint
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
The story revealed Lively had filed a precursor complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
The denim purveyor said in its complaint that the tab trademark has come to be known as a concrete signal that consumers are buying an authentic Levi’s product and argued that extraneous uses of that trademark could dilute or harm its own brand.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 31 Oct. 2025
That night, a minority of protesters had blocked roads, threw water bottles and rocks at officers and vandalized property, police said, according to the complaint, leading authorities to issue a dispersal order.
—Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complaint
Cite this Entry
“Complaint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complaint. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
complaint
noun
com·plaint
kəm-ˈplānt
1
: expression of grief, pain, or resentment
2
a
: a cause or reason for complaining
the noise was her biggest complaint
b
: a pain or sickness in the body
3
: a charge of illegal wrongdoing against a person
Medical Definition
complaint
noun
com·plaint
kəm-ˈplānt
: a bodily ailment or disease
bloating and other digestive complaints—Christine Gorman
Christine GormanLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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