whine

verb

\ ˈhwīn

, ˈwīn\

whined; whining

Definition of whine

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to utter a high-pitched plaintive or distressed cry

b : to make a sound similar to such a cry the wind whined in the chimney

2 : to complain with or as if with a whine always whining about the weather

3 : to move or proceed with the sound of a whine the bullet whined … across the ice— Berton Roueché

transitive verb

: to utter or express with or as if with a whine

whine

noun

Definition of whine (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a prolonged high-pitched cry usually expressive of distress or pain

b : a sound resembling such a cry

2 : a complaint uttered with or as if with a whine

Other Words from whine Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about whine

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Other Words from whine

Verb

whiner noun

whiningly \ ˈhwī-niŋ-lē

, ˈwī- \ adverb

Noun

whiny or less commonly whiney \ ˈhwī-nē

, ˈwī- \ adjective

Examples of whine in a Sentence

Verb

He's always whining about the weather. Quit whining and finish your dinner. “I want to leave now,” she whined. The workers were whining that the office was too cold. The dog was whining because it wanted to go out. The electric saw whined as it cut through the wood.

Noun

the whine of a jet engine the perennial whine that movies aren't as good as they used to be

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

To me, she's always been a side character trying to become a main character who whines more than any of Mer's three kids. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Predictions: 15 Things That Absolutely Must Happen," 27 Sep. 2018 And the do-nothing Democrat sat around and whined and complained and did absolutely nothing, like typical congressmen. — Fox News, "Trump signs order halting separation of families at border," 21 June 2018 If your dog starts shivering or whining out on a walk, get them home and warmed up right away. — Robin Tribble, Popular Mechanics, "How to Make Sure Your Pets Have a Happy Holiday Too," 12 Nov. 2018 And Hillary Clinton refusing to go away, still whining about her election loss. — Fox News, "Kavanaugh to speak to Senate Judiciary Committee staffers," 18 Sep. 2018 Photo: john cetrino/epa-efe/rex/Shutterstock None of this makes a difference to whine about right now. — Jason Gay, WSJ, "The Nightmare of Baseball (and Basketball) Bedtimes," 24 Oct. 2018 Within seconds, the hotel alarm begins to whine and a recorded voice begins to alert guests. — David Montero, latimes.com, "Vegas police release first video of officers breaching door of mass shooter at Mandalay Bay," 2 May 2018 Fox News to whine about the unfair bias by throwing shade at Black Lives Matter, dope boys and everything black. — Lisa Gutierrez, kansascity, "9 things about Diamond and Silk: Why Facebook says Trump-loving sisters are 'unsafe' | The Kansas City Star," 10 Apr. 2018 So no group of NFL fans can whine that their team has to play nine conference games while other teams only have to play eight. — Andy Staples, SI.com, "‘Strategic Entertainment’ vs. Entertaining Entertainment: The Flip Side of the NFL-CFB Debate," 11 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Across the cavernous rocket factory, the buzz, whirr, and whine of various machinery never ebbed. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "SpaceX reveals the controls of its Dragon spacecraft for the first time," 14 Aug. 2018 The bane of my existence barks and whines at all hours of the day and night, with particularly lengthy performances beginning at 5:30 a.m. without fail. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "I Can’t Sleep Without My Big Red Rooster White Noise Machine," 11 Jan. 2019 Now, casinos with names like Wisney World dot its blocks, the constant whine of grinders and circular saws backdrops conversation and new construction is swallowing up public beaches. — Sanjay Surana, WSJ, "Cambodia: The Chicest New Beach Destination in Asia," 15 Jan. 2019 Anyone who remembers working with cathode ray tube monitors is familiar with the phenomenon of coil whine. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Researchers find way to spy on remote screens—through the webcam mic," 28 Aug. 2018 Easy, right? Be forewarned, though: Tea tree oil has a strong medicinal smell that may or may not make your significant other whine loudly. — Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "Tea Tree Oil Is the Best Acne Spot Treatment for Sensitive Skin," 24 Sep. 2018 Onboard the train, the pugs slept in their bags at our feet, invisible to most of the people sitting near us, aside from an occasional whine or bark. — Steve Eder, New York Times, "Pups Onboard: Why Trains Are a Great Way to Travel With Your Dog(s)," 19 June 2018 Expect a whine from the center if someone has to sit there. — Scott Sturgis, Philly.com, "2018 Stelvio rounds out the Alfa Romeo lineup," 12 July 2018 With its electronic appendages unleashing an animatronic whine that falls somewhere between an electronic knife and a Xerox machine, Atlas even stops to hop over a log before casually going on his bipedal way. — Peter Holley, chicagotribune.com, "Video of jogging humanoid robot scares internet," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for whine

whine

verb

English Language Learners Definition of whine

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to complain in an annoying way

: to make a high, crying sound

: to make a high and unpleasant sound that continues for a long time

whine

noun

English Language Learners Definition of whine (Entry 2 of 2)

: a high and unpleasant sound that continues for a long time

See the full definition for whine in the English Language Learners Dictionary

whine

verb

\ ˈhwīn

, ˈwīn\

whined; whining

Kids Definition of whine

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to make a high-pitched troubled cry or a similar sound He was so eager to join her I could hear him whining as he swam.— Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows

2 : to complain by or as if by whining “I always get blamed,” she whined.