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
Many complain about a lack of tort reform, unrestricted attorney advertising or litigation funding, all of which contribute significantly to the scam.
—
Robert Tyson, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
The firing after a nearly 30-year run appeared to surprise Starkey, after reports that Daltrey was not happy with the drummer’s performance at a March Royal Albert Hall gig, complaining from stage that Starkey’s loud playing was throwing him off.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 May 2025
Many of her fellow Democrats have complained Mahon strays off topic during council meetings to score political points with people viewing the discussions at home.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2025
Drivers must now pit at least twice, a ruling which aimed to avoid the kind of procession many fans complain can occur on the narrow, twisiting Monégasque roads on which overtaking is difficult.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
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Robert Tyson, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
The firing after a nearly 30-year run appeared to surprise Starkey, after reports that Daltrey was not happy with the drummer’s performance at a March Royal Albert Hall gig, complaining from stage that Starkey’s loud playing was throwing him off.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 May 2025
Many of her fellow Democrats have complained Mahon strays off topic during council meetings to score political points with people viewing the discussions at home.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2025
Drivers must now pit at least twice, a ruling which aimed to avoid the kind of procession many fans complain can occur on the narrow, twisiting Monégasque roads on which overtaking is difficult.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 25 May 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 5 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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