complain

/kəmˈpleɪn/

//kəmˈpleɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"complain" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“complain” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,840. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,840
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.

Corpus desk

Index EN-complain · complain · English

complain · rank #4,840 · 12 variants · 7 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,840
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 7 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH cock

Nearest frequency peer: cock (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “complain”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “complain” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

complain vs complaint
89% similar
complain vs complains
89% similar
complain vs complying
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for complain
PropertyValue
Headwordcomplain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kəmˈpleɪn/
Letters8
Frequency rank#4,840
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “complain”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).complainlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “cock” (#4,839), “complaints” (#4,841), “coalition” (#4,838). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “complain” is #4,840. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around complain (IPA /kəmˈpleɪn/), averb. Corpus frequency is #4,840 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for complain, with forms such as "ccomplain", "cmoplain", and "comlpain". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "complaint", "complains", "complying", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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. The correct English form is complain, spelled C-O-M-P-L-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
  2. 2
    To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
  3. 3
    To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how complain appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
  2. O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain!

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.

Synonyms

beefbellyachebemoanbitchbleatwhimpercarpchuntercomplaincrabcroakdump onfrinegirngive outgrumblegrotchgrousegrouchgrumpgruntlegripeharpinveighkvetchlatratemake a stinkmurmurmuttermoannagnarknudzhpinchpiss and moanrailrail outrepineridesnivelwhinewhinge

This word in other languages

quejarse(Español)se plaindre(Français)klagen(Deutsch)reclamar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccomplain
  • cmoplain
  • comlpain
  • commplain
  • compalin
  • complainn
  • complani
  • complian
  • compllain
  • compplain
  • copmlain
  • ocmplain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of complain - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccomplain1cmoplain2comlpain2commplain1compalin2complainn1complani2complian2
Edit distance from "complain"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "complain"?
"complain" is spelled C-O-M-P-L-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kəmˈpleɪn/.
What does "complain" mean?
As a verb, "complain" means: To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
What words are commonly confused with "complain"?
"complain" is commonly confused with "complaint", "complains", "complying". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "complain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "complain" is /kəmˈpleɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "complain"?
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. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "complain", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

civilian#4,837Campbell#4,830dominant#4,851assuming#4,822

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

actively12 variantsinvasion12 variantstreasury12 variantsMargaret12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list