whine 1 of 2

noun

Definition of whinenext
as in moan
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment the perennial whine that movies aren't as good as they used to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

whine

2 of 2

verb

ˈ(h)wīn How to pronounce whine (audio)
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely for the whole of our vacation, the kids whined on and on about the weather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of whine
Noun
Test recordings sounded clear and full, and the noise cancellation completely blocked out the buzz and whine of my 3D printer. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026 Lee's voice has always been Sui generis, a distinctive instrument caught between a whine and a yelp yet immediately recognizable. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Verb
Dogs may actually improve our sleep habits by forcing us to adjust to consistent bedtime schedules — as anyone with a sleepy, whining dog can confirm. — Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026 For The Times) Courtney does great old ladies and whining teens, Michaels plays great curmudgeons and Palermo is great at space work. — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whine
  1. moan
  2. complain
  3. complaint
  4. scream
  5. lament
  6. fuss
  7. grievance
  8. whimper
Noun
  • Bel’s father took a long look at Conner’s painting, then let out a loud moan and wept.
    — Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Lori can hardly speak, relying on a young nurse who sits at her side to translate her low, pained moans.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • Guzman has an April 2009 conviction of driving drunk and causing injury to another person in Sacramento County, according to the complaint.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Concerts at the stadium have been suspended since 2024 following complaints from neighbors about excessive noise.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of complaint
Verb
  • Upon arriving at Bottiglierivega's door, a police sergeant heard screaming and spotted blood nearby.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Officers arrived at the scene and found people screaming as a man was lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scream
Noun
  • The child studying English was met with loving lament, while the one pursuing computer science at Stanford University was the flag post of family pride.
    — Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Prompted by Nan’s lament about their father’s empty casket and his own desire for posthumous reconciliation, Jay sets out to find his dad’s underwater remains near the edge of the canyon at Monastery Beach.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of lament
Noun
  • After a marathon journey involving three connecting flights to reach Glasgow—and coming off the back of a particularly hectic week that had left me feeling a little under the weather—the lack of fuss was firmly appreciated.
    — Liam Hess, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Their clients, like the classic Vegas-chapel clientele, didn’t want the fuss of a giant ceremony or just didn’t have the guests.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of fuss
Noun
  • The nationwide marches were meant to reflect broader dissatisfaction with the French government, with protesters taking to the streets to air a range of different grievances.
    — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Ontide management reported that worker turnover attributable to harassment and unresolved grievances had declined substantially; however, the report did not provide figures to quantify that change.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of grievance
Noun
  • As the Sixers absorbed punch after punch and refused to fold, reality returned with at least a whimper, if not a thud.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Max Fried gave up two home runs, the New York Yankees had one taken off the board by fan interference and then their season ended Thursday night with a whimper.
    — Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of whimper

Browse Nearby Words

whim-whams
whine
whined
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whine. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of abandon

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All