complained; complaining; complains
1
: to express grief, pain, or discontent
complaining about the weather
2
: to make a formal accusation or charge
He threatened to complain of him to the captain.
complainer
noun
Examples of complain in a Sentence
He works hard but he never complains.
If you're unhappy with the service, you should complain to the manager.
The students complained that the test was too hard.
“These shoes are too tight,” he complained.
Recent Examples on the Web
After the wedding, the man received an email from the newlyweds, who expressed their gratitude for the wedding photos that were taken but also complained about the one that was rejected.
—
Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Tri-Star Pictures took heat for casting Santa Claus as a spree killer suffering from PTSD, and across the country, parents complained that the movie’s widespread marketing campaign was giving kids nightmares.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2025
Moreover, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently complained that New York holds disproportionate sway over the Fed as several presidents are from the city but serving in other areas.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Emily fantasizes about returning to childhood, then complains about woman’s lower political and social status in nineteenth-century New England.
—Via Chronicle Books, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
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Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Tri-Star Pictures took heat for casting Santa Claus as a spree killer suffering from PTSD, and across the country, parents complained that the movie’s widespread marketing campaign was giving kids nightmares.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2025
Moreover, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently complained that New York holds disproportionate sway over the Fed as several presidents are from the city but serving in other areas.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Emily fantasizes about returning to childhood, then complains about woman’s lower political and social status in nineteenth-century New England.
—Via Chronicle Books, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complain
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complain. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
complain
verb
com·plain
kəm-ˈplān 
1
: to express grief, pain, or discontent : find fault
complaining about the weather
2
: to accuse someone of wrongdoing
complainer
noun
Medical Definition
complain
intransitive verb
com·plain
kəm-ˈplān
: to speak of one's illness or symptoms
the patient visited the office complaining of weight loss
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