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
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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
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Recent Examples of carp
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
In an interview with Semafor’s Ben Smith Wednesday, Whitmer said despite criticism from the left, her work with the president has paid off on the problem of Asian carp in the Great Lakes, disaster funding, and the future of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
—Laura McGann, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
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
Anglers will find carp, catfish, and bass, among other catches.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
In an interview with Semafor’s Ben Smith Wednesday, Whitmer said despite criticism from the left, her work with the president has paid off on the problem of Asian carp in the Great Lakes, disaster funding, and the future of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
—Laura McGann, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
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
-
Village sounds of chickens and goats were pierced by the distant whine of commercial jets climbing out of Agadir’s international airport.—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
-
No suspicious whine in the air, no burning of pungent oils to put off biters.—
Antonia Quirke,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An employee reached out to Summers and Taylor to complain.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Coaches Dawn Staley of South Carolina and Geno Auriemma of UConn had a heated courtside exchange afterward as Auriemma, in character, complained about the officiating and proved an ungracious loser, but at least apologized a day later.—
Greg Cote
April 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 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
-
Kaley denied being abused or neglected, though Meta’s attorneys did show some Instagram posts about her mother screaming at her.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In a sea of gray-toned suits and uniforms, the woman trying to soothe her crying baby comes across as an outlier even before a belligerent young salaryman starts screaming at her for disturbing the peace.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ever the dedicated mother, Stacy runs to her adult daughter’s aid, fussing at her for not using a driver for her errands.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The crime went unsolved for many years, prompting Mason to start making this movie in the early 2000s, and the immediate conclusion to jump to is that the LAPD maybe wasn’t too fussed about it.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Demuth now has seven days to refer both the complaints to the House Ethics Committee for consideration and hearings will be scheduled to discuss each filing.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the British side of the Pond, however, no government has dared to do worse things to the BBC than moan about it.—
Max Hastings,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
-
On the British side of the Pond, however, no government has dared to do worse things to the BBC than moan about it.—
Max Hastings,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Other projects have or would have endangered the bleached sandhill skipper butterfly, the sage-grouse, and steamboat buckwheat.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Blanc’s fusion of European and Asian influences is at its best when showcasing autumn’s harvest; chargrilled garden beetroot with walnut pesto, grouse with bread sauce, blackcurrant meringue with bourbon vanilla.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Carp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carp. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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