complain

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kəmˈpleɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #3462

Meanings

1

verb
To say that you are unhappy or annoyed about something.

Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
2

verb
To make a formal report saying that something is wrong.

I complained to the manager about the poor service.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to say that you are unhappy... kick

More beef bellyache bemoan bitch bleat carp chunter crab croakfrinegirn gripe

Word family

Forms complainedcomplainingcomplaininglycomplainsuncomplaining

Derived forms complainablecomplaineecomplainercomplaininglycomplainingnesscomplainynoncomplaininguncomplaineduncomplaining

Related forms complainer fastidious peevish utter

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

Never complain, never explain

Simplified etymology

Complain is recorded from the late Middle English period and derives from Latin plangere, “to beat” or “lament,” with com- used emphatically.

Etymology

From Middle English complaynen, from Old French complaindre, from Medieval Latin complangere (“to bewail, complain”), from Latin com- (“together”) + plangere (“to strike, beat, as the breast in extreme grief, bewail”); see plain, plaint.

complaynen Middle English complaindre Old French complangere la-med com- Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Register & Style

External links

# complain

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kəmˈpleɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 3462

## Meanings
1. To say that you are unhappy or annoyed about something.
2. To make a formal report saying that something is wrong.

## Examples
- Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
- I complained to the manager about the poor service.

## Synonyms
- beef
- bellyache
- bemoan
- bitch
- bleat
- carp
- chunter
- crab
- croak
- frine
- girn
- gripe

## Derived Forms
- complainable
- complainee
- complainer
- complainingly
- complainingness
- complainy
- noncomplaining
- uncomplained
- uncomplaining

## Related Forms
- complainer
- fastidious
- peevish
- utter

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: complaynen
- Root: complaindre
- Root: complangere
- Root: com-

## Etymology
From Middle English complaynen, from Old French complaindre, from Medieval Latin complangere (“to bewail, complain”), from Latin com- (“together”) + plangere (“to strike, beat, as the breast in extreme grief, bewail”); see plain, plaint.

## AI Etymology
complain is a verb. It is from Middle English complaynen, from Old French complaindre, from Medieval Latin complangere (“to bewail, complain”), from Latin com- (“together”) + plangere (“to strike, beat, as the breast in extreme grief, bewail”); see plain, plaint. Historical forms in the chain include complaynen (Middle English), complaindre (Old French), complangere (Medieval Latin), and com- (Latin). Current senses include to say that you are unhappy or annoyed about something and to make a formal report saying that something is wrong. Derived forms include complainable, complainee, complainer, complainingly, and complainingness. Related words include complainer, fastidious, peevish, and utter.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Register & Style

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