PLAINTS Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

plaints

noun

plural of plaint

as in lamentations

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in whines

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaints

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

Definition of lamentations

Noun

The aftermath of the fire has been litigious, with tenants accusing companies of not maintaining safety systems, ignoring complaints about fireworks and failing to secure the property after the fire.

— Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 24 July 2026
Beretti and Cantone filed complaints with the Florida Department of Health, which, emails show, has begun investigating Guarino.

— Ella Moore July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Definition of complaints

Noun

Mourners beat their chests rhythmically in the intense summer heat, the wails of women cutting through the noise as the body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was unveiled beneath a glass case at the Grand Mosalla.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief.

— Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026

Definition of wails

Noun

Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and the right to petition government to address grievances.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
Prime-time addresses that spew grievances and obvious falsehoods may drive voters even further away from the GOP.

— David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Definition of grievances

Noun

Your eyes constantly produce a thin layer of basal tears to keep the cornea lubricated, and the duct quietly shuttles that trickle into the nose, where it’s absorbed or blended into normal nasal mucus without a trace.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
The testimony elicited visible emotion from Celeste’s family — her mother wiped away tears — who remained in court throughout the testimony.

— Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 22 July 2026

Definition of tears

Noun

In the decades after his death, Johnson’s loose playing and harrowing moans set American music on a path that would encompass Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, even Nas.

— Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
Sweet tweets, soft moans, the distant caw of a shore bird piloting toward the sea, spirited and hopeful, daylight already breaking through.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of moans

Noun

Suskind, a cochlear implant surgeon and professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago, says for years the waiting room in her practice would be a cacophony of baby cries and toddler screeches.

— Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
Lost in all their cries is that many soccer experts believe that Balogun’s move did not merit a red card.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026

Definition of cries

Noun

Warnings, laments, and odes to renewal were expressed pictorially as dying days under bleeding heavens, belching volcanoes, proud icebergs, lavish rainbows amid spangling, mist-suffusing sunlight and dawns of peace and hope.

— Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
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

Definition of laments

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Plaints.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaints. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of plaints

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vituperate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes