complainant

noun

com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt How to pronounce complainant (audio)
Synonyms of complainantnext
1
: the party who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding
2
: one who complains

Synonyms of complainant

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Examples of complainant in a Sentence

the complainant charged that the defendant had broken the ironclad contract that both had signed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Brand, who again denies that any of the interaction was non-consensual, reportedly rarely took his eyes off the screen as the complainant’s police interview played. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 The final complainant says Brand demanded a massage and pressed his face into her groin during the recording of an advertisement in 2009. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Someone has to interview the complainant, the accused and any witnesses, usually within days. — Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 The average reported loss among complainants 60 and older was approximately $38,500, and nearly 12,500 people in that age group reported losing more than $100,000. — Angela Ramos, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complainant

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of complainant was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

complain
complainant
complainer
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Cite this Entry

“Complainant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complainant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

complainant

noun
com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt How to pronounce complainant (audio)
1
: one who makes a legal complaint
2
: one who complains

Legal Definition

complainant

noun
com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt How to pronounce complainant (audio)
: the party (as a plaintiff or petitioner) who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding
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