complains
v. A2 Elementary US //kəmˈpɫeɪnz// UK //kəmplˈeɪnz// com·plains
v. to say that you are unhappy or annoyed about something. You use this when a problem makes you feel bad.
v. to express dissatisfaction or discontent about a situation, action, or person. Transitive when followed by 'about' or 'of'; intransitive when used alone.
He complains about the loud music.
She complains to the manager when her food arrives cold.
The tenant complains incessantly about the building's maintenance, filing a formal grievance every time a minor repair is delayed.
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'about' or 'of'.
Pitfall
complains about to the bosscomplains to the boss about the issueUse 'to' for the person receiving the complaint and 'about' for the topic.