as in protesting
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
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
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Recent Examples of complaining
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2026
The dog-waste donnybrook was similar to another recent clash in Brooklyn that saw a 75-year-old grandmother jumped and beaten for complaining that a dog walker was not cleaning up the pooch’s poop.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Is complaining about it just the cool thing to do?
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Witnesses later described her as being in visible distress, complaining of severe abdominal pain.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Despite higher oil prices, US shale executives are complaining that the market volatility arising from the conflict in the Middle East isn’t making their job any easier.
—David Wethe, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026
Republicans have reacted by complaining that conservative-leaning voters in the state have been disenfranchised by gerrymandered maps that reduce the influence of their vote.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid.
—CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
There was crying, complaining, dissociating and even laughing on those couches.
—Wendy C. Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
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
Elsewhere, Super Mario Galaxy is hardly complaining about coming in second ruling the roost for weeks, since it’s now focused on becoming the first film of the year to join the billion-dollar club after finishing Sunday with a global total of $871 million.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2026
The dog-waste donnybrook was similar to another recent clash in Brooklyn that saw a 75-year-old grandmother jumped and beaten for complaining that a dog walker was not cleaning up the pooch’s poop.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Is complaining about it just the cool thing to do?
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Witnesses later described her as being in visible distress, complaining of severe abdominal pain.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Despite higher oil prices, US shale executives are complaining that the market volatility arising from the conflict in the Middle East isn’t making their job any easier.
—David Wethe, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026
Republicans have reacted by complaining that conservative-leaning voters in the state have been disenfranchised by gerrymandered maps that reduce the influence of their vote.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid.
—CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
There was crying, complaining, dissociating and even laughing on those couches.
—Wendy C. Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaining
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
Verb
-
Seattle families deal with this all the time, and the city is packed with indoor options that will keep your crew happy — no need to endure whining.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
-
On the other end, the Rockets were a complete mess, dissolving in two whining technical fouls in the third quarter that sealed their fate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Richter’s grand slam Tuesday against Tinley Park ended with plenty of screaming and high-fives at home plate.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Any passengers not knocked out during the chaos or sucked out into the sky are generally screaming and grabbing for oxygen masks while Captain Rich makes a futile announcement about the importance of not panicking.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But a male voice could be heard moaning in the background.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
-
One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The scent of vinegar fills the set, and a crew member wanders by muttering about dyeing Easter eggs.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But many questions went unanswered, frustrating many murmuring and grumbling attendees.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
There has been some grumbling about the health plan changes on writers’ private Facebook groups.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Medieval schoolmen worrying over Aristotle could be pedants; so could cultivated female salonnières in seventeenth-century Paris.—
Clare Bucknell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The technology intentionally comes lacking a human face, and its evangelists have both over-promised regarding what the tools can do in the short term while worrying people about the long-term societal impacts.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaining. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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