complaining 1 of 2

adjective

as in protesting

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complaining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of complain
as in whining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely the time-honored tradition of new recruits complaining about the food in the mess hall

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 complaining
Adjective
An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
Our Good Question email inbox is filled right now with several people complaining about hearing swear words in political ads. — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Residents of Studio City have been complaining about screams echoing down the Cahuenga Pass during this soft opening period. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 Still, if Josh Allen and new head coach Joe Brady can lead the Bills to a Super Bowl, no one will be complaining that their seats weren't good enough. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir, then 46, died in 2025 after complaining of severe chest pains. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 Cassie Fleming’s first grade daughter came home from school last August complaining about someone named Amira. — Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026 The symphony received mixed reviews, with critics complaining of a lack of transparency, argument and depth. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 That experience appears to have been fairly typical of late, with other online reviews complaining about unannounced closures. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Parents keep complaining to me that their kids are sedentary at school, even though humans need to keep moving throughout the day to be healthy. — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaining
  1. protesting
  2. whining
  3. screaming
  4. moaning
  5. muttering
  6. grumbling
  7. worrying
Adjective
  • The death toll includes at least 19 children, 21 non-protesting civilians, and 165 in government or security forces.
    — The Hill, The Hill, 17 Jan. 2026
  • Among the dead were 13 children and 14 non-protesting civilians, HRANA said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Jan. 2026
Definition of protesting
Verb
  • The fact that a prominent world leader has been desperately hoping (some might say whining) for a Nobel Peace Prize is not lost on Bang.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Like nails on a chalkboard, whining—an irritating blend of talking and crying—has the ability to make almost any parent either lose their temper or cave.
    — Debby Waldman, Parents, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of whining
Verb
  • Reuters/Juan David Duque At the airport in Pereira, videos showed pieces of ceiling falling down on travelers taking shelter and screaming, and people running through rubble in a panic.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In Pereira, further south in the coffee-producing mountains of Colombia, photos and videos on local media showed pieces of the airport ceiling falling onto travelers taking shelter and screaming.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • Video released by the Milwaukie Police Department shows Descamps sprawled in a hospital bed, his body limp, moaning and drooling, while medical staff stood nearby.
    — Brian Mann, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Swinging his hips, moaning into the mic and briefly getting promiscuous with a mic stand was the authenticity that the majority-millennial crowd expected.
    — Sophie Lindberg July 11, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
Definition of moaning
Verb
  • An edgy confrontation The Rangers were still seething as Keenan attempted to address the team following a demoralizing 3-1 loss, with a few snapping back or muttering under their breath.
    — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • On Tuesday, cameras caught Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing muttering something after looking back at the Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, who was in discomfort after an awkward slide at home plate.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of muttering
Verb
  • Aside from social media posts complaining about the war’s fallout and some grumbling from oligarchs about the Kremlin seizing their assets, there are still no signs of any widespread popular unrest against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • To do so, the chain has invested in labor and renovations to its coffee houses, earning some grumbling from investors.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 29 July 2026
Definition of grumbling
Verb
  • And for a generation scarred by Covid, wars, and the risk of AI, now worrying over job prospects, demand for safety, security, and certainty may be at an all-time high.
    — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The same fans forced to move rows back — or even higher into the upper bowl — after years of never worrying about being priced out by the organization as Laney-Hamilton became Brooklyn’s first WNBA star.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of worrying

Browse Nearby Words

complainers
complaining
complains
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Cite this Entry

“Complaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaining. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on complaining

Nglish: Translation of complaining for Spanish Speakers

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