COMPLAINING Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

complaining 1 of 2

adjective

as in protesting

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Dissimilar Words

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

That March, a seventy-year-old patient from a wealthy Cypriot family, Evie Lanitis, arrived at BioMed, complaining of a host of minor maladies, including bursitis in her toes, dental pain, and digestive issues. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 This was the first opportunity, Ubovic said, to do something tangible, instead of just complaining. — Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The shift may have been good for business, but users often lamented that lack of control, complaining that the recommendation algorithms could send them down rabbit holes of irrelevant or even toxic content. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 Erika is concerned that Daisy won’t stop complaining about her free vacation. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026 Recently, representatives of those building and construction firms met with the sheriff complaining that longtime workers, some here as long as 10 or 20 years, are being detained and deported, disrupting the industry. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2026 The meta levels here (Seyfried playing Holmes complaining about Seyfried’s portrayal of her) may kill me. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2026 Which means the people complaining about the problem—those of us in leadership—are the people who need to fix it. — Zaharia-Gabriel Sidere, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Jennifer Boulanger, a 63-year-old Mid-City resident, posted a video on Nextdoor complaining about the new Ralphs bot. — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 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

Definition of protesting

Verb

While the left spent all week whining about Sophie Cunningham's hat and firing squad best practices, us PATRIOTS were biding our time, keeping our heads down, and grinding towards another weekend.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Dogs may actually improve our sleep habits by forcing us to adjust to consistent bedtime schedules — as anyone with a sleepy, whining dog can confirm.

— Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of whining

Verb

Warren joked, as several audience members had been screaming to hear his hit during his set.

— Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026
Four pledges at a Texas State University fraternity were arrested on Tuesday after an 18-year-old was allegedly forced into a pickup truck and heard screaming, according to police.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of screaming

Verb

It's been a big few months for Austin Abrams moaning and groaning his way through some of the worst situations imaginable.

— Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
For a cold moment the silence locked a grip on our table, though it was broken, at the edges, by the golf commentators moaning and harrumphing, Rory McIlroy having had a canary on a seventeenth fairway somewhere this championship Sunday.

— Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of moaning

Verb

Max Muncy, whose home run expanded the Dodgers’ lead, was still muttering about the heat nearly 15 minutes after escaping into air conditioning.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
When John finally reunites with Hal (who charges the ring against the lantern while quickly muttering his oath), the frustrated protégé immediately confronts his teacher with all the suspicions he was meant to keep secret.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of muttering

Verb

Voters are not going to make legislators do a better job by grumbling and complaining.

— Scott Warren, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Know More Waters is one of a number of senior members of Congress that fellow Democrats are grumbling about in private for being delinquent on their dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of grumbling

Verb

Ready to take on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a December full of holiday parties without worrying if your wardrobe will still fit in 2027?

— Patricia Neligan, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Another theory is that with the fall harvest nearly complete, now is a relatively safe time to deport farmworkers in the countryside without immediately worrying about empty shelves in supermarkets, Mejia said.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of worrying

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Style

“Complaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaining. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of complaining

adjective

verb

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