Complain
/kəmˈpleɪn/
Definitions
To express dissatisfaction or resentment about something.
/kəmˈpleɪn/
To express dissatisfaction or resentment.
He complained loudly about the food.
💡 Simply: Complaining is like saying you're unhappy about something. Like if your ice cream melted, you might complain, 'My ice cream is all melty!'
👶 For kids: To say you don't like something.
More Examples
Many customers complained about the slow service.
How It's Used
"She complained about the noisy neighbors."
"The customer complained about the faulty product."
Idioms & expressions
have a complaint
To have something to complain about.
"I have a complaint about the quality of this product."
From Old French *complaindre, from Latin *complangere, from com- "together" + plangere "to strike, beat, lament".
The word 'complain' has consistently been used to express dissatisfaction throughout history, though the formality of its usage has varied.
Memory tip
Think of 'com' (together) and 'plain' (simple statement of unhappiness).