a long high-pitched plaintive cry or moan a continuous high-pitched sound a peevish complaint, esp one repeated
to make a whine or utter in a whine
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
whine /hwaɪn, waɪn/USA pronunciation
v., whined, whin•ing, n.
v.
n. [countable]
whin•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v.
- to make a long, usually nasal, complaining sound, often high-pitched:[no object]The dog whined at the door
- to complain in a self-pitying way: [~ + that clause]The children whined that they wanted to stay up late.[no object]Don't whine.
n. [countable]
- a whining word, sound, or complaint.
whin•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.
whine
(hwīn, wīn),USA pronunciation v., whined, whin•ing, n.
v.i.
v.i.
- to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc.:The puppies were whining from hunger.
- to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way:He is always whining about his problems.
- to utter with or as if with a whine:I whined my litany of complaints.
- a whining utterance, sound, or tone.
- a feeble, peevish complaint.
- bef. 1150; Middle English whinen (verb, verbal), Old English hwīnan to whiz; cognate with Old Norse hvīna
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged moan, whimper.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See complain.
v.t.
n.
whin′ing•ly, adv.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'whining noise' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):