complainant

noun

com·plain·ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt

Synonyms of complainant

: the party who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding

: one who complains

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.

Blackbox soon established that the complainant did not wish to participate, and alleges that 5 was aware of the individual’s reluctance to be the subject of a series based on their experience. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026 Villareal said her clients have reported various forms of retaliation including solitary confinement or getting transfers to detention facilities far from a complainant's family and lawyers. — Vanessa Romo, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026 One anonymous complainant told the department that an elderly man had nearly drowned in the pool and was taken to a hospital. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 The complainant alleged that the driver of a minivan had pointed a firearm at them a few towns over. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 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

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

complain

complainant

complainer

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Complainant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complainant. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

complainant

noun

com·plain·ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt

: one who makes a legal complaint

: one who complains

Legal Definition

complainant

noun

com·plain·ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt

: the party (as a plaintiff or petitioner) who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding

complainant

noun

Synonyms of complainant

Examples of complainant in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition

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