complain king
- noun
- /kəmˈpleɪn kɪŋ/
- Informal
:
quejica
- As the self-proclaimed complain king, Mike finds fault with almost everything.
Examples
-
Everyone avoids John at meetings because he's such a complain king.
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Don't be a complain king—try to see the positive side of things!
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He is such a complain king about everything!
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My neighbor is a real complain king during the summer.
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As the self-proclaimed complain king, Mike finds fault with almost everything.
-
Don't be a complain king—try to see the positive side of things!
-
Everyone avoids John at meetings because he's such a complain king.
Synonyms
23
4.3
A person who complains a lot about small things in an annoying way
11
2.8
A person who often says they are unhappy about things
10
6.7
A person who complains often in an annoying way
2
9.9
An old word for a person, often a woman, who always complains and finds fault
1
8.8
A person who often complains about small, not important things
1
7.8
A person who speaks loudly and angrily and complains a lot
1
5.5
A person who complains a lot about small things
1
9.9
A person who often complains about small things
1
5.3
A person who often complains about small things
1
8.4
A person who often complains about many things
1
8.4
A person who complains a lot about small things
1
9.9
A person who often whines and complains in an annoying way
1
9.1
A person who often complains in an annoying way
1
6.5
A person who often complains about small, unimportant things
1
8.4
A person who complains a lot about small things
A person who often complains about small, unimportant things
A person who complains a lot, often about small things
A person who keeps complaining or criticizing in an annoying way
A person who always complains in an annoying way
A woman or girl who often says she is unhappy about small things
How Complaining
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'a person who frequently complains' is partly derivable because 'complain' identifies the activity and 'king' signals the highest degree or prominence (as in 'king of X'), so learners can infer someone who complains a lot. However, the surface form 'complain king' is nonstandard (omitting 'of' and converting a verb to a modifier), so the exact interpretation may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without exposure.
Etymology
Complain king is an informal, joking name that gives a funny image: the bold king and the word complain make you picture someone with a crown who always finds fault. That's why it means 'a person who often complains'.