Dictionary

complain en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /kəmˈpleɪn/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin com- Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *pl(e)h₂-n-g-e-tider. Proto-Italic *plāngō Latin plango Latin plangere Medieval Latin complangereder. Old French conplaindre Old French complaindreder. Middle English complaynen English complain From Middle English complaynen, from Old French complaindre, from Medieval Latin complangere (“to bewail, complain”), from Latin com- (“together”) + plangere (“to strike, beat, as the breast in extreme grief, bewail”); see plain, plaint.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
   • O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain! 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 12, line 67:
   • Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
2. (intransitive) To state the presence of something negative; to indicate that one is suffering from something; to report (e.g.) a symptom.
   • The patient complained of headache, nausea, and joint pain.
3. (intransitive) To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
   • They've complained about me to the police again.
   • Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king? c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
   • If you get cheated by the Better Business Bureau, who do you complain to? 1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 85:
4. To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.
   • the complaining bed-springs

Forms

Deriveds

complainant · complainable · complainee · complain queen · complainer · complainey · complainingness · can't complain · you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope · uncomplained · uncomplaining · complainy · noncomplaining · complain king · complainingly

Hypernyms

communicate

Hyponyms

yammer · groan

Relateds

peevish · complainer · utter · fastidious

Synonyms

frine · bleat · piss and moan · complain · carp · kvetch · make a stink · harp · chunter · murmur · give out · nudzh · grouse · grump · nark · nag · crab · pinch · bitch · bemoan · ride · grumble · whine · moan · gruntle · mutter · girn · whinge · rail · croak · latrate · dump on · whimper · grotch · snivel · grouch · gripe · beef · repine · bellyache · inveigh · rail out

Translations (144)

oc plànher (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · es querellarse (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · es reclamar (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · th ร้องเรียน (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ja 文句する (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · eu auhendatu (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · es quejarse (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ar شَكَا (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · de klagen (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · grc μέμφομαι (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · cy achwyn (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · fi valittaa (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ro se plânge (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ga déan clamhsán (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ga déan clamhsán (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · got 𐌱𐌹𐍂𐍉𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · id adu (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · hy բողոք հարուցել (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · nl klagen (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ko 고소(告訴)하다 (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · vi thưa kiện (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ko 민원(民願)을 제기(提起)하다 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · th บ่น (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · vi phàn nàn (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · id mengeluh (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · de sich beschweren (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · hy բողոք հայտնել (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · txb pälw- (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ru сетовать (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ru подава́ть жа́лобу (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · es alegar (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · nl een klacht indienen (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · gl tanxer (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · pt queixar-se (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ja ぶつぶつ言う (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · cmn 悲嘆 /悲叹 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ka წუწუნი (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · es protestar (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · pl skarżyć się (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · hy բողոքել (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ga éagaoin (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · cmn 投訴 /投诉 (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · it lamentarsi (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · bg подавам жалба (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · cy conan (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ka ბუზღუნი (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · es querellarse (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · hi शिकायत करना (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ms adu (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ru жа́ловаться (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ca queixar-se (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ar تَذَمَّرَ (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · de sich beschweren (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · pl składać skargę (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · sh žaliti se (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · hy բողոք տալ (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · it lagnarsi (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · sw lalamika (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · nl klagen (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ar شَكَا (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · az şikayət etmək (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · el παραπονιέμαι (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · he הִתְלוֹנֵן (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · la queror (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ja とやかく言う (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ja ぼやく (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ary شْكَى (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · nl kankeren (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · fi tehdä valitus (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ru ныть (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ky сыздоо (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ar اِشْتَكَى (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · eo plendi (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · ko 고발(告發)하다 (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · gd talaich (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · bg оплаквам се (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · hy գանգատվել (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · yo ráhùn (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ang mǣnan (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · hy գանգատիլ (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · uk ни́ти (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · az şikayət etmək (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ro plânge (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · fi valittaa (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · gsw motzä (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · haw hoʻohalahala (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · vo plonön (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ro reclama (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · fr se plaindre (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · gd gearain (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · dlm plungro (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · eo plendi (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ko 항의(抗議)하다 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · pt queixar-se (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · da klage (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ga bí ag clamhsán (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · es quejarse (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · cs stěžovat si (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · cs podat stížnost (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · io plendar (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · sw lalamika (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ar اِشْتَكَى (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · pl skarżyć (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · uk ска́ржитися (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · wa si plinde (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · pl narzekać (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · de klagen (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · uk жалі́тися (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ast quexar (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · pt reclamar (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ko 불평(不平)하다 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · gl laiar (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ka ჩივილი (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · uk ска́ржитися (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · sv klaga (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ca plànyer-se (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ru жа́ловаться (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · es lamentarse (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · de meckern (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · gl carpir (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · hy գանգատ տալ (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · da beklage sig (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · gl queixarse (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ja 訴える (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · sh požaliti se (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · cy achwyn (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ml പരാതിപ്പെടുക (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · da brokke sig (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · nl zeiken (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · cmn 發牢騷 /发牢骚 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · fr porter plainte (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · id merajuk (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ka ჩივილი (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · alt сыстаар (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · de sich beklagen (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · gd dèan casaid (to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge) · yo ṣàròyé (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · yo rojọ́ (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · cmn 抱怨 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · got 𐌲𐌰𐍈𐍉𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ga bí ag clamhsán (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · ko 불만(不滿)을 말하다 (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · mt gerger (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment) · cy cwyno (to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment)