1
as in lamentation
a crying out in grief
the day after the massacre the plaints of bereaved mothers and wives could be heard throughout the village
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complaint
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
that taxes are too high is perhaps the most perennial of plaints
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plaint
Like Emanuel and his comrades, Harper and his film go a meaningful way in asking and offering an answer to that plaint.
—
Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
But Barham plays the role both for plaints and for boasts.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Gay’s plaint is a variation of the good speakers are born belief.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
And to be perfectly fair, the New Deal had seven or eight big years of operation (the plaints about the Supreme Court etc. blocking reforms being so many excuses).
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Goldberger's plaint is overstated.
—Michelle Goldberg, Star Tribune, 8 June 2021
Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
But Barham plays the role both for plaints and for boasts.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Gay’s plaint is a variation of the good speakers are born belief.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
And to be perfectly fair, the New Deal had seven or eight big years of operation (the plaints about the Supreme Court etc. blocking reforms being so many excuses).
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Goldberger's plaint is overstated.
—Michelle Goldberg, Star Tribune, 8 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaint
Noun
-
These rock lamentations will not be carried over to the full-length album the band still has in the works, which Bono promises will have a more joyful tone.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 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
Noun
-
And from the stage, the unmistakable wail of a harmonica cut through the warm April air.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
There was grit and grime to his feedback-heavy guitar wails, but there was sweep and grandeur too, more apparent on stage than on record.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
-
During the show’s second hour, Guthrie went outside to thank the crowd and briefly held back tears.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
-
As immigration officers arrested her six weeks ago, through tears and a rushed goodbye, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez had a request for her daughter.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Teamsters still claim that UPS never had the contractual right to offer driver buyouts, with the labor group and more than 30 of its local branches filing grievances after the program’s announcement.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Beginning in October of 2019, citizen grievances with the Chilean government regarding the cost of living and metro fare prices gave way to explosive protests that went on to last for months, and the museum eventually suffered fires in February of 2020.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
That, of course, and the occasional ghostly presences, unsettling cries, and blood dripping from the ceiling.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The sinew between Thundercat and Tame Impala is thick and obvious—one reason that Bruner doesn’t need ubiquitous Kevin Parker’s lethargic laments.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Though marking Jesus’ painful death, Good Friday ultimately points to Easter resurrection—transforming the day from lament to joy for believers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plaint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaint. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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