verb

whine

WYN

verb

To complain in an annoying, high-pitched or self-pitying way.

"The kids started whining about being bored halfway through the trip."

"Stop whining and just get on with the work."

noun

A long, high-pitched complaining sound or tone of voice.

"The engine let out a high-pitched whine before it finally stalled."

How to Use Whine

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo complain in an annoying, drawn-out way, or the sound this makes.

Common mistake

Not to be confused with "wine" (the drink) — they sound identical but are unrelated.

Easily confused with

wine → whinge

Common pairings

whine about stop whining

Word Forms

whined past tense, whines plural, whine plural, whined plural, whines singular, whine singular, whined singular, whinest singular, whinedst singular, whineth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The engine let out a high-pitched _____ before it finally stalled.

Etymology

From Old English hwinan, "to make a whistling or whizzing sound" — the meaning narrowed over time to focus on complaining.

Rhymes for whine

nine mine wine line sine dine fine vine pine tine Eine thine

See all rhymes for whine →