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 formal allegation against a party

The complaint alleges sexual harassment.

Synonyms

• beef
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• fuss
• grievance
• gripe
• grouch
• grouse
• grumble
• holler
• kvetch
• lament
• miserere
• moan
• murmur
• plaint
• squawk
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer

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

According to the complaint, Amador left Miami earlier in the day and picked the people up in Gun Cay in the Bahamas. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024

The dealership profited $4.5 million from fraudulent vehicle service contracts alone, according to the complaint. —Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2024

Cubbage noted the complaint doesn’t allege wrongdoing by the TIF board but rather challenges the validity of the law that created it. —Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 24 Apr. 2024

The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee filed the complaint on behalf of students who attend the university's New Brunswick campus and Newark law school. —NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024

The woman who lived at the home refused to answer the door for the officers, according to the complaint. —Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024

Lara Vera, a Poughkeepsie, New York resident, filed the suit in federal court on behalf of herself and others who bought Prime products across the U.S., the complaint says. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

Pua and her team at the Kuala Langat Environmental Action Association have extensive experience monitoring and filing complaints against polluting plastic facilities. —Matt Gutman, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2024

The complaint was filed by Circle Centre Mall LLC and alleges the restaurant owners owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent. —Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-French compleint, from compleindre — see complain

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing complaint

• counter-complaint
• grounds for complaint

Kids 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

Legal Definition

complaint

noun

com·​plaint

1

: the initial pleading that starts a lawsuit and that sets forth the allegations made by the plaintiff against the defendant and the plaintiff's demand for relief see also prayer, process, well-pleaded complaint rule compare answer

2

: a document sworn to by a victim or police officer that sets forth a criminal violation and that serves as the charging instrument by which charges are filed and judicial proceedings commenced against a defendant in a magistrate's court compare declaration, indictment, information

3

: petition