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
-
Moments of humor sit alongside lamentation and ritual intensity, underscoring the exhibition’s refusal of a single, fixed reading.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
For Marks, the blues isn’t about lamentation.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No complaints about the strong, free Wi-Fi.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
And the White House has required VA officials and advocates to sign NDAs about construction on campus, drawing bipartisan complaints from Congress.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Three species of bats inhabit the site, and supernatural events—including the appearance of the gamekeeper’s ghost and the wail of a banshee—have been reported.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
-
The wail of fire trucks can be heard as passersby stopped to record the scene.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The guilt of a stack of unread books is a low constant whine at the back of your head.—
Philip Maymin,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
Both motors stay at or below 45 dBA even at full power, something that will genuinely surprise anyone used to the whine of current-generation motors.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 10,
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Bruins’ bat boy’s tears stained the front of Cholowsky’s jersey as his sobs grew heavier by the second.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
The 22-year-old Wembanyama was emotional, bursting into tears as the final horn blew and again choking back emotions after being named the Most Valuable Player of the WCF.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Young people who once sought belonging through families, churches, schools, sports and communities are now too often finding identity through online extremism, grievance, anger and attention-seeking behavior.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
-
But now, Gunther has a legitimate grievance about how his title match turned out.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Then, the cries of Ginny’s baby are a major wake-up call for the couple that can’t be ignored.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
28 May 2026
-
And so when the girls of U-46 break a huddle, forgive the limitation of their rallying cry.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
His suggestion drew scores of hosannahs from followers on X, who shared his lament that the magazine had become too critical of the industry and its leaders.—
Jonathan Weber,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
-
That’s been a universal lament over the past couple of years, lately made dramatic in foot-high digits on more than 150,000 gas station reader boards across the US.—
Greg Petro,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plaint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaint. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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