How to Use complain in a Sentence

complain

verb
  • The students complained that the test was too hard.
  • He works hard but he never complains.
  • If you're unhappy with the service, you should complain to the manager.
  • The sign was used to complain about that.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Her child would complain some more.
    — Vicki Glembocki, Parents, 28 Feb. 2026
  • And there’s a lot less to complain about than there used to be.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2022
  • Any of the three could have been first, and no one would have complained.
    — Les Carpenter, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Is complaining about it just the cool thing to do?
    — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Trust me, no one in this house is complaining.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Some fans even posed to take photos rather than complain.
    — Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
  • And hey, no one can complain about free parking.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The man also complained of pain in his hands and thumbs.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
  • How to complain with flair at a restaurant when things go awry?
    — The Editors, Robb Report, 20 June 2026
  • Any artist could sit, whine, and complain about all the songs that didn’t strike well.
    — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Some users complain that the brake pads wear too quickly.
    — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • For the time being, there does not seem to be much to complain about.
    — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • But that’s just the people who complained.
    — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Locals complained tourist gawked at them or traipsed through their yards.
    — ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Most damning, both complain, the army isn’t open enough to new ideas.
    — Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Democrats have complained about the funding cuts.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • To complain about cramps was futile.
    — Nami Mun, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
  • Trump has complained that 97% of the jokes on late-night shows are against him.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Don’t-complain, just-eat-your-meal type people.
    — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Giants fans have had a lot to complain about in recent years.
    — Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Go to the group at the next meeting and complain publicly.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
  • There are millions of things to complain about, Bill.
    — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • And in a world telling you to suck it up, be tough, not complain, and not cry, ever?
    — Kevin Powell, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Some have complained they were falsely caught up in a dragnet.
    — The Arizona Republic, 16 Jan. 2024
  • Please stop complaining about the costs and just quit doing it.
    — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
  • They were heard crying and complained of head and stomach pain.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'complain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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