com·plain

(kəm-plān′)

intr.v. com·plained, com·plain·ing, com·plains

1. To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.

2. To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge; file a complaint.

[Middle English compleinen, from Old French complaindre, complaign-, from Vulgar Latin *complangere : Latin com-, intensive pref.; see com- + Latin plangere, to lament; see plāk- in Indo-European roots.]

com·plain′er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

complainer - a person given to excessive complaints and crying and whining

grumbler, moaner, sniveller, squawker, whiner, bellyacher, crybaby

disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable

kvetch - (Yiddish) a constant complainer

complainer

noun

A person who habitually complains or grumbles:

crab, faultfinder, grouch, growler, grumbler, grump, murmurer, mutterer, whiner.

Informal: crank, griper, grouser.

Slang: bellyacher, sorehead, sourpuss.

Translations

complainer

[kəmˈpleɪnə^r] n (= moaner) → râleur/euse m/f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

complainer

a. persona que se queja en exceso.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Everybody had a part either too long or too short; nobody would attend as they ought; nobody would remember on which side they were to come in; nobody but the complainer would observe any directions.

View in context

But to me, Socrates, these complainers seem to blame that which is not really in fault.

View in context

Procurator Fiscal Depute Fiona Holligan said: "At 9pm the complainer had finished working at Morrisons and was seated outside the shop on a bench where he saw Jones.

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"The complainer and the accused were in the locus and they got into an argument; he flipped a table over which caused her to feel afraid.

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"On the day in question, the accused approached the complainer and asked him to grab some cup-cake holders from the top of a fridge.

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Procurator fiscal depute Susan Campbell said: "He began poking the complainer in the face.

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Prosecutor Michael Maguire said: "The accused then made his way over and stood in front of the complainer and swung his right hand while holding a glass.

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At a previous hearing, fiscal depute Felicity merson said the complainer "shook his head" at the accused after Simpson had overtaken him, and when the cars came side by side again later, the man "turned to look at the accused who was holding what appeared to be a black handgun, pointing it towards the complainer".

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Fiscal Calum Thomson said: "The complainer had been at home after an evening out with friends.

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He said: "The Crown wish to prevent reporting of the complainer's name, the accused's name and the locus in this case.

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The official of Law ministry informed the meeting that the complainer would also be booked for initiating false allegation against any one and his case would be trialed in lower court.

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She said: "The complainer was familiar with the accused having seen her around Paisley.

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