as in to scream
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the time-honored tradition of new recruits complaining about the food in the mess hall
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Recent Examples of complain
However, Reece said that his mother began to complain of a headache and dizziness, prompting her to sit down and rest later in the day.
—
Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Down the road at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola used to complain his club didn’t have enough of it to call upon, particularly on European nights when United and Real Madrid could reach back into the past for belief.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Any of the three could have been first, and no one would have complained.
—Les Carpenter, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2026
Local businesses along the busy tourist strip complained that foot traffic from events was down and that the building was becoming an eyesore.
—Daniel Rivero, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complain
Verb
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Even Liz and Prue, half sisters whose relationship had been punctuated by epic screaming fights, found common ground.—
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Emotions spilled over in the public gallery when the sister of one of the teachers killed screamed out.—
Verb
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Illinois Republicans have turned whining into an artform.—
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First came Notre Dame whining over missing out on a College Football Playoff invite.—
Verb
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The austerity gives her plenty of room to writhe, mug, and moan between occasional shots of an inflatable Martian and a tropical-looking Tiffany lamp.—
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Critics moaned when the CFP committee picked the Hurricanes over Notre Dame as the last Power 4 entry into the playoffs.—
Verb
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Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.—
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Worshippers show up a half hour early to claim seats, and some longtime congregants have grumbled about the intern influx.—
Verb
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The camera then turns to James Austin Johnson, who played the president, sleeping and muttering New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s name.—
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On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.—
Verb
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There could be worrying consequences.—
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Allergen Alert is aimed at restaurant owners concerned about food safety for their diners, and at at-home consumers worried about cross-contamination or inaccurate ingredient listings when dining out.—
Cite this Entry
“Complain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complain. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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