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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complaining
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
There was crying, complaining, dissociating and even laughing on those couches.
—Wendy C. Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
But Ford has been complaining from the beginning that Prasad lacks a plan for the hospital.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Martinez, 33, missed Villa’s 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest on Sunday after complaining of a calf issue in the warm-up.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Christie, who was recently seen complaining about the current mayor and his snow-removal efforts, seems to be undeterred by the city all the same.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 15 Apr. 2026
The latter point is especially concerning because, after four years of this, viewers are still complaining about audio-syncing problems on Prime Video this season.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 15 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
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
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
This is why all the whining and complaining from small market teams across the sport is manipulative nonsense.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
There was crying, complaining, dissociating and even laughing on those couches.
—Wendy C. Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
But Ford has been complaining from the beginning that Prasad lacks a plan for the hospital.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Martinez, 33, missed Villa’s 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest on Sunday after complaining of a calf issue in the warm-up.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Christie, who was recently seen complaining about the current mayor and his snow-removal efforts, seems to be undeterred by the city all the same.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 15 Apr. 2026
The latter point is especially concerning because, after four years of this, viewers are still complaining about audio-syncing problems on Prime Video this season.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 15 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
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
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
-
On the other end, the Rockets were a complete mess, dissolving in two whining technical fouls in the third quarter that sealed their fate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
-
This is why all the whining and complaining from small market teams across the sport is manipulative nonsense.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the Sonora stage Sunday, the 22-year-old Newark rapper-producer who arrived at the current screaming catharsis via a circuit of molting SoundCloud-era microgenres was at once dangerously commanding and euphoric while tearing through highlights from last year’s Revengeseekerz.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
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The pressures of fame and the pains of Michael’s brand of friendlessness are barely explored, beyond the requisite scenes of screaming fans crowding outside the family estate and a terrified Michael attempting to get away from them (while still politely waving).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
21 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
-
The scent of vinegar fills the set, and a crew member wanders by muttering about dyeing Easter eggs.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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There has been some grumbling about the health plan changes on writers’ private Facebook groups.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
-
There was some grumbling at the outset—mostly about cutting down trees—but everybody soon went all in on this one.—
Joshua Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Medieval schoolmen worrying over Aristotle could be pedants; so could cultivated female salonnières in seventeenth-century Paris.—
Clare Bucknell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The technology intentionally comes lacking a human face, and its evangelists have both over-promised regarding what the tools can do in the short term while worrying people about the long-term societal impacts.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaining. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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