Grumble vs Complain - What's the difference?
grumble | complain |
(onomatopoeia) A low thundering, rumbling or growling sound.
The sound made by a hungry stomach.
A complaint.
To make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals.
* {{quote-book
, year=1995
, author=Terry C. Johnston
, title=Dance on the Wind
, page=15
, passage=It made his stomach grumble in protest to think the mule was eating, and here he was worrying about her with an empty belly of his own.}}
To complain; to murmur or mutter with discontent; to make ill-natured complaints in a low voice and a surly manner.
To utter in a grumbling fashion.
* 2001 , Harry Willcox Pfanz, Gettysburg — the first day?
To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
* Milton
To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
* Shakespeare
To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.
Complain is a synonym of grumble.
In intransitive terms the difference between grumble and complain
is that grumble is to complain; to murmur or mutter with discontent; to make ill-natured complaints in a low voice and a surly manner while complain is to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.As a noun grumble
is a low thundering, rumbling or growling sound.grumble
English
Noun
(en noun)- That whiner is never without a grumble to share.
Derived terms
* grumblyVerb
(grumbl)- The distant thunder grumbles .
- He grumbles about the food constantly, but has yet to learn to cook.
- He grumbled that there was no grain "in the country" and that people were talking instead of working to provide it.
Synonyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* grumblerSee also
* rumble English reporting verbscomplain
English
Verb
(en verb)- Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
- O loss of sight, of thee I most complain !
- They've complained about me to the police again.
- Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king?
- the complaining bed-springs