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
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
His team-mates celebrated; the Boca players complained furiously, surrounding the referee and pointing at Marchesin.
—
Jack Lang, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Many have complained that American alternatives for some foreign imports may be unavailable or are too expensive.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
In Chicago, advocacy groups have complained about cooling centers closing to the public over holidays and weekends, even during a heat wave.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025
Several commentors have defended Wong and her administration, but others have complained there’s a pattern of high-handedness at Bloomfield town hall.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
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Jack Lang, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Many have complained that American alternatives for some foreign imports may be unavailable or are too expensive.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
In Chicago, advocacy groups have complained about cooling centers closing to the public over holidays and weekends, even during a heat wave.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025
Several commentors have defended Wong and her administration, but others have complained there’s a pattern of high-handedness at Bloomfield town hall.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complain. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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