as in protesting
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Dissimilar Words
as in whining
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 complaining
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 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
Trump tied the two issues together on Wednesday, complaining that NATO didn't help more in recent weeks.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Teachers have a difficult job today, with parents not having a degree in education telling teachers how to do their jobs, and complaining when the parents don’t like the results when corrective action is taken.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Trump tied the two issues together on Wednesday, complaining that NATO didn’t help more in recent weeks.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
After a while, Democrats stopped complaining about it.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Why aren’t activists complaining about reckless bicyclists who run us off the sidewalks?
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Fans have been complaining about that for weeks now.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
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
Trump tied the two issues together on Wednesday, complaining that NATO didn't help more in recent weeks.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Teachers have a difficult job today, with parents not having a degree in education telling teachers how to do their jobs, and complaining when the parents don’t like the results when corrective action is taken.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Trump tied the two issues together on Wednesday, complaining that NATO didn’t help more in recent weeks.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
After a while, Democrats stopped complaining about it.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Why aren’t activists complaining about reckless bicyclists who run us off the sidewalks?
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Fans have been complaining about that for weeks now.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaining
Adjective
-
The death toll includes at least 19 children, 21 non-protesting civilians, and 165 in government or security forces.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
17 Jan. 2026
-
Among the dead were 13 children and 14 non-protesting civilians, HRANA said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For the puppy, leaving its mother and littermates can be stressful at first, and crying or whining is normal.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Or get ready for a lot of groaning and whining.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Linebacker Oh, linebacker, a position screaming out for help and coming away with nothing, much like most Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight tackle attempts in the first half of last season.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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In the video, recorded by Mortensen on his cellphone, Paul can be seen screaming and throwing metal chairs, one of which struck one of her children who witnessed the altercation, according to the criminal indictment.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But a male voice could be heard moaning in the background.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
-
One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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In fact, the director was egging me on, encouraging me to go further with the hunching and muttering.—
Andrew Martin,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
King asked James, who had been grumbling.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That was four coaches ago, and Gates seems attuned to some grumbling about how this one is faring.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
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When health plans, providers, and policymakers work together, families can spend less time worrying about costs and more time focusing on their health.—
Anthem Blue Cross California,
Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaining. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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