complainant

noun

com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt How to pronounce complainant (audio)
1
: the party who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding
2
: 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.
The complainant, 46-year-old Onisim Dorneanu of Wisconsin, until recently owned a total of 16 units in the building and lived in one of the units part-time, according to the filing. Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 You’re done with this matter — and so am I. Jerald Fuller, Coconut Creek (Editor’s Note: Fuller was the complainant in the ethics complaint against Tony, filed in 2022). Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025 The complainants have demanded the group be stopped from issuing further threats, requesting the court for a jury trial. Ailia Zehra, The Hill, 8 Feb. 2025 Soon after making the report to police, the complainant received an alert from FedEx explaining that the merchandise would be delivered to and held for pick up at a Walgreens location in neighboring Skokie, according to the release. Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025 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

Cite this Entry

“Complainant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complainant. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on complainant

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