Definition of complain verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

complain

verb

/kəmˈpleɪn/

[intransitive, transitive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they complain	/kəmˈpleɪn/ /kəmˈpleɪn/
he / she / it complains	/kəmˈpleɪnz/ /kəmˈpleɪnz/
past simple complained	/kəmˈpleɪnd/ /kəmˈpleɪnd/
past participle complained	/kəmˈpleɪnd/ /kəmˈpleɪnd/
-ing form complaining	/kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ/ /kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about somebody/something
- She never complains, but she's obviously exhausted.
- (informal) ‘How are you?’ ‘Oh, I can't complain (= I'm all right).’
- complain to somebody Annoyed residents have complained to the police.
- complain about something Shoppers complained about the lack of toilet facilities.
- complain to somebody about something I'm going to complain to the manager about this.
- complain of something The defendant complained of intimidation during the investigation.
- complain at something She complained at the unfairness of it all.
- complain (that)… He complained bitterly that he had been unfairly treated.
- + speech ‘It's not fair,’ she complained.
Synonyms complain
complainprotest ▪ object ▪ grumble ▪ moan ▪ whineThese words all mean to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about somebody/something.
complain to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about somebody/something:
I’m going to complain to the manager about this.
protest to say or do something to show that you disagree with something or think it is bad, especially publicly; to give something as a reason for protesting:
Students took to the streets to protest against the decision.
object to say that you disagree with something or think it is bad; to give something 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 somebody/something, especially something that is not really very serious:
They kept grumbling that they were cold.
moan (British English, rather informal, disapproving) to complain about somebody/something in an annoying way:
What are you moaning 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.
Patterns
- to complain/protest/grumble/moan/whine about something
- to complain/protest/grumble/moan at something
- to complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine to somebody
- to complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine that…
Extra Examples
- 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 bitterly about the lack of help she received.
Topics Feelingsa2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- bitterly
- loudly
- constantly
- …
verb + complain
- cannot
- can hardly
- have cause to
- …
preposition
- about
- at
- to
- …
See full entry
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French complaindre, from medieval Latin complangere ‘bewail’, from Latin com- (expressing intensive force) + plangere ‘to lament’.

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See complain in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee complain in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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Phrasal verbs

complain of something

Nearby words

the above

noun

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