Complaints — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /kəm-ˈplānt/ (noun) /ˌkau̇n-tər-kəm-ˈplānt/ (noun) com·plaint

Meaning & Definition of Complaints

Complaints (noun)

  1. expression of grief, pain, or dissatisfaction
  2. something that is the cause or subject of protest or outcry
  3. a bodily ailment or disease
  4. a complaint made in response to another complaint or by a person or group who was complained against; specifically, law, counterclaim

Complaints (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment

    "a warning that if there were any more complaints, we were turning around and not going to the beach after all"

    similar: beefs, bitches, bleats, carps, fusses, grievances, gripes, grouches, grouses, grumbles, hollers, kvetches, laments, misereres, moans, murmurs, plaints, squawks, wails, whimpers, whines, whinges (British), yammers
    related: challenges, demurs, expostulations, kicks, niggles (chiefly British), objections, protests, quibbles, remonstrances, stinks
    near: commendations, compliments, plaudits, acclaim, applauses, praises, approvals, endorsements, sanctions

  2. a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent

    "the condo development proceeded despite the complaints of the neighborhood residents"

    similar: challenges, demurrals, demurrers, demurs, difficulties, exceptions, expostulations, fusses, kicks, objections, protests, questions, remonstrances, stinks
    related: compunctions, doubts, misgivings, qualms, scruples, misunderstandings, cavils, niggles (chiefly British), quibbles, arguments, conflicts, debates, disputes, dissents, hassles, quarrels, squabbles, statics, censures, criticisms, defiances, disobediences, rebellions, distrust, dubieties, dubitations (archaic), incertitudes, indeterminations, misdoubts, mistrust, reservations, skepticism, suspicions, uncertainties, reluctances
    near: approvals, sanctions, acceptances, acquiescences, agreements, assents, compliances, obediences

  3. a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person

    "filed a complaint in court"

    similar: charges, counts, indictments, raps
    related: accusations, allegations, pleas, criminations, counteraccusations, countercharges, arraignments, impeachments, implications, imputations, innuendos, insinuations, censures, condemnations, denunciations, incriminations, recriminations

  4. an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning

    "takes a slew of medicines for his many complaints"

    similar: affections, ailments, ails, bugs, complications, conditions, diseases, disorders, distemperatures, distempers, fevers, illnesses, ills, infirmities, maladies, sicknesses, troubles
    related: contagions, contagious diseases, contagia, infections, attacks, bouts, fits, spells, debilities, decrepitudes, weaknesses, malaises, matters, pips, epidemics, pestilences, pests, plagues

Related Entry: Complaint (noun)

Complaint is a different word from Complaints. The synonyms below are for complaint, not for complaints.

  1. an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment

    "a warning that if there were any more complaints, we were turning around and not going to the beach after all"

    similar: beef, bitch, bleat, carp, fuss, grievance, gripe, grouch, grouse, grumble, holler, kvetch, lament, miserere, moan, murmur, plaint, squawk, wail, whimper, whine, whinge (British), yammer
    related: challenge, demur, expostulation, kick, niggle (chiefly British), objection, protest, quibble, remonstrance, stink
    near: commendation, compliment, plaudit, acclaim, applause, praise, approval, endorsement, sanction

  2. a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent

    "the condo development proceeded despite the complaints of the neighborhood residents"

    similar: challenge, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, exception, expostulation, fuss, kick, objection, protest, question, remonstrance, stink
    related: compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple, misunderstanding, cavil, niggle (chiefly British), quibble, argument, conflict, debate, dispute, dissent, hassle, quarrel, squabble, static, censure, criticism, defiance, disobedience, rebellion, distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation (archaic), incertitude, indetermination, misdoubt, mistrust, mistrustfulness, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainty, qualmishness, unease, uneasiness, reluctance, unwillingness
    near: willingness, approval, sanction, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, compliance, obedience

  3. a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person

    "filed a complaint in court"

    similar: charge, count, indictment, rap
    related: accusation, allegation, plea, crimination, counteraccusation, countercharge, arraignment, impeachment, implication, imputation, innuendo, insinuation, censure, condemnation, denunciation, incrimination, recrimination

  4. an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning

    "takes a slew of medicines for his many complaints"

    similar: affection, ail, ailment, bug, complication, condition, disease, disorder, distemper, distemperature, fever, ill, illness, infirmity, malady, sickness, trouble
    related: contagion, contagious disease, contagium, infection, attack, bout, fit, spell, debility, decrepitude, feebleness, frailness, lameness, sickliness, unhealthiness, unsoundness, unwellness, weakness, malaise, matter, pip, epidemic, pest, pestilence, plague
    opposite: health, wellness
    near: fitness, healthiness, heartiness, robustness, soundness, wholeness, wholesomeness, fettle, shape

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Complaints

The most common words with a similar meaning to Complaints:

British: whinges
beefs, bitches, bleats, carps, fusses, grievances, gripes, grouches, grouses, grumbles, hollers, kvetches, laments, misereres, moans, murmurs, plaints, squawks, wails, whimpers, whines, yammers, challenges, demurrals, demurrers, demurs, difficulties, exceptions, expostulations, kicks, objections, protests, questions, remonstrances, stinks, charges, counts, indictments, raps, affections

Related Words for Complaints

niggles, quibbles, compunctions, doubts, misgivings, qualms, scruples, misunderstandings, cavils, arguments, conflicts, debates, disputes, dissents, hassles, quarrels, squabbles, statics, censures, criticisms, defiances, disobediences, rebellions, distrust, dubieties, dubitations, incertitudes, indeterminations, misdoubts, mistrust

Near Antonyms of Complaints

commendations, compliments, plaudits, acclaim, applauses, praises, approvals, endorsements, sanctions, acceptances, acquiescences, agreements, assents, compliances, obediences

Word Forms of Complaints

Inflections: countercomplaints, counter-complaints

Origin & Etymology of Complaints

Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-French compleint, from compleindre see complain

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Complaints

What does "Complaints" mean?

"Complaints" means expression of grief, pain, or dissatisfaction. As a noun, it is defined as: expression of grief, pain, or dissatisfaction. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Complaints"?

Other words for "Complaints" include beefs, bitches, bleats, carps, fusses, grievances, gripes and grouches. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Complaints" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Complaints"?

There are 126 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Complaints". Common alternatives include beefs, bitches, bleats, carps, fusses, grievances, gripes, grouches, grouses and grumbles.

How do you use "Complaints" in a sentence?

Examples of "Complaints" in a sentence: "a warning that if there were any more complaints, we were turning around and not going to the beach after all"; "the condo development proceeded despite the complaints of the neighborhood residents"; "filed a complaint in court".

Is "Complaints" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Complaints" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Complaints"?

"Complaints" is pronounced /kəm-ˈplānt/ as a noun and /ˌkau̇n-tər-kəm-ˈplānt/ as a noun and divided into syllables as com·plaint.

What is the origin of the word "Complaints"?

"Complaints" comes from Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-French compleint, from compleindre see complain. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Complaints" meaning "an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment"?

When "Complaints" (noun) means an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment, synonyms include beefs, bitches, bleats, carps, fusses and grievances.