as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
the usual carp about that restaurant is that the service is slow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
someone who carps and whines about everything is a pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cavil
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant
carped about the order of names on the wedding invitations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of carp
Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025
Anglers may also find carp, bluegill, crappie and sturgeon in the lake that can be accessed off Santiago Canyon Road in Silverado.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
This boost in fandom’s age and status possibly explains its current sense of privilege, its tendency to carp and cavil rather than contribute or create.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 28 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for carp
Noun
Not to be undone, Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Christmas feast included magnificent blue carp.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025
Anglers may also find carp, bluegill, crappie and sturgeon in the lake that can be accessed off Santiago Canyon Road in Silverado.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
Verb
Those carping about the vibes are not going to convince the vibes proponents to back down.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
This boost in fandom’s age and status possibly explains its current sense of privilege, its tendency to carp and cavil rather than contribute or create.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 28 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for carp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carp
Noun
-
No suspicious whine in the air, no burning of pungent oils to put off biters.—
Antonia Quirke,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
-
These are no longer the days of whine and turned-up noses.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Later, the state spent $6 million to seal the brick building, after state workers complained of respiratory ailments and asthma.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Although older drivers are certainly more sensitive to nocturnal blasts of light, drivers in their 20s and 30s also complained about the overall brightness of some vehicles.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Naysayers often cavil that California’s economic growth depends almost entirely on Silicon Valley and the capital gains income of its wealthiest residents, but its primacy in high technology encompasses fields outside Northern California, such as biotech.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2021
-
However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.—
Kelly Corbett,
House Beautiful,
7 Oct. 2020
Verb
-
Bill Belichick’s resume screams one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio, but when he wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, many were left flabbergasted on Tuesday night.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Under the watchful eye of sheriffs deputies who threatened to ticket anyone caught standing in the road, along with a small number of National Guard members, the protesters took turns screaming swears and warming up in nearby parked cars.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Dunst doesn’t get fussed about that sort of thing.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Cumming said the city's information technology department also abruptly cut off part of her office administrator's access, including the ability to see who else in city government may be looking at whistleblower complaints and documents related to ethics investigations.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Schlegel is expected to be charged via federal criminal complaint with assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with Tuesday's shooting, Janke said.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While Slot was moaning about having to play two away matches in four days (and about missing a couple of key players), Emery, also without important figures such as Boubacar Kamara, was overseeing his Villa side playing the same tough schedule and win both games without conceding a goal.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The austerity gives her plenty of room to writhe, mug, and moan between occasional shots of an inflatable Martian and a tropical-looking Tiffany lamp.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the explosive Season 3 finale, which aired in September 2024, Yasmin opted for supposed stability, choosing a privileged life of grouse hunts and tweed jodhpurs on the vast country estate of aristocratic posho and failed entrepreneur Henry Muck (Kit Harington).—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Suddenly a grouse exploded out of a bush directly behind him.—
Patrick F. McManus,
Outdoor Life,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Carp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carp. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
