whine

1 of 2

verb

whined; whining

intransitive verb

1
a
: 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 iceBerton Roueché

transitive verb

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

whine

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Through it all, though, Soto didn’t whine or complain or let the pressure of the contract and expectations and big city bring him down along with his batting average. Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 28 June 2025 Of course, some will whine that endless war and support for atrocities erode America’s values. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2025
Noun
Air raid sirens, the whine of kamikaze drones and booming detonations reverberated from early evening until dawn as Russia launched what Ukraine's Air Force said was a total of 539 drones and 11 missiles. Pavel Polityuk, USA Today, 4 July 2025 Pretty soon, the whine of the gears, the shriek of the diff, and the sheer cacophony of combustion make conversation all but impossible. Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for whine

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English hwīnan to whiz; akin to Old Norse hvīna to whiz

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whine was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whine. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

whine

1 of 2 verb
ˈhwīn How to pronounce whine (audio)
ˈwīn
whined; whining
1
: to make a shrill troubled cry or a similar sound
a child whining
the electric saw whined as it cut the wood
2
: to complain with or as if with a whine
always whining about his chores
whiner noun
whiningly adverb

whine

2 of 2 noun
1
: a whining cry or sound
2
: a complaint uttered with or as if with a whine
whiny
ˈhwi-nē
ˈwī-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on whine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!