complain
com·plain [complain complains complained complaining] [kəmˈpleɪn] [kəmˈpleɪn] verb intransitive, transitive
to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about sb/sth
• ~ (to sb) (about/of sth) I'm going to complain to the manager about this.
• The defendant complained of intimidation during the investigation.
• She never complains, but she's obviously exhausted.
• (informal) ‘How are you?’ ‘Oh, I can't complain (= I'm all right).’
• ~ (that)… He complained bitterly that he had been unfairly treated.
• + speech ‘It's not fair,’ she complained.
Derived: complain of something
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French complaindre, from medieval Latin complangere ‘bewail’, from Latin com- (expressing intensive force) + plangere ‘to lament’.
Thesaurus:
complain verb I, T
• He complained that he had been unfairly treated.
protest • • object • |disapproving grumble • • whine • • carp • |informal, disapproving moan •
complain/protest/grumble/whine/carp/moan about sth
complain/protest/grumble/moan at sth
complain/protest/object/grumble/whine/moan that…
Synonyms:
complain
protest • object • grumble • moan • whine
These words all mean to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about sb/sth.
complain • to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about sb/sth: ▪ I'm going to complain to the manager about this.
protest • to say or do sth to show that you disagree with or disapprove of sth, especially publicly; to give sth as a reason for protesting: ▪ Students took to the streets to ▪ protest against ▪ the decision.
object • to say that you disagree with or disapprove of sth; to give sth as a reason for objecting: ▪ If nobody objects, we'll postpone the meeting till next week. ◊ ▪ He objected that the police had arrested him without sufficient evidence.
grumble • (rather informal, disapproving) to complain about sb/sth in a bad-tempered way: ▪ They kept grumbling that they were cold.
moan • (BrE, rather informal, disapproving) to complain about sb/sth in an annoying way: ▪ What are you moaning on about now?
whine • (rather informal, disapproving) to complain in an annoying, crying voice: ▪ Stop whining! ◊ ▪ ‘I want to go home,’ whined Toby.
Whine is often used to talk about the way that young children complain.
to complain/protest/grumble/moan/whine about sth
to complain/protest/grumble/moan at sth
to complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine to sb
to complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine that…
Example Bank:
• All the guests complained about the noise.
• He really has no right to complain.
• I'm going to complain to the authorities about this!
• It was entirely my own idea, so I can hardly complain.
• She complained at the unfairness of it all.
• She complained bitterly about the lack of help she received.
• ‘How are you?’‘Oh, I can't complain.’
• ‘It's not fair,’ she complained.
• She never complains, but she's obviously exhausted.