as in to scream
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the time-honored tradition of new recruits complaining about the food in the mess hall
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complain
Students and junior officials complained of the dry study materials they were required to learn to pass exams on party history and ideology.
—
ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Per the report, during the plane’s final approach, the flight attendant said Ferrell was standing up, complaining that his cell phone was missing.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Numerous shopping streets and public squares have been obliterated by US and Israeli strikes, transport infrastructure has been destroyed, and residents complain of persistently high inflation.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The city of Aledo has slashed the cost to rent its public community center because residents were complaining the price was too high.
—Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complain
ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Per the report, during the plane’s final approach, the flight attendant said Ferrell was standing up, complaining that his cell phone was missing.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Numerous shopping streets and public squares have been obliterated by US and Israeli strikes, transport infrastructure has been destroyed, and residents complain of persistently high inflation.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The city of Aledo has slashed the cost to rent its public community center because residents were complaining the price was too high.
—Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complain
Verb
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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
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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
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Zendaya's Rue thrives in her own weird little story, but Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) lacks a personality other than whining, Nate (Elordi) lacks a personality other than anger, and hyper-sexualized Maddie (Alexa Demie) lacks a personality other than blind ambition.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
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Get someone who spends more time trying to master the new model than whining about it.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Back then, purists grumbled that the modern reinterpretation of the British classic departed from the rough and tumble identity of Defenders past.—
John Scott Lewinski,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
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King asked James, who had been grumbling.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then, there’s a dramatic landscape by Jacob van Ruisdael, with gray clouds muttering on high and brighter blues impending in the sky below.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Past albums like Lyfë and 2093 were best experienced as hourslong excursions into illegible rage-rap experiences that washed over the listener, with Yeat’s voice muttering his harmonies amid glitchy laptop bangers.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Murray worries about upholding his best friend’s wishes.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Horner also talked about being concerned about losing his job, wanting to see his child and worrying about what was going to happen to him, Espinoza said.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complain. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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