complainant

noun

com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt 

1

: the party who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding

2

: one who complains

Synonyms

• plaintiff
• suer

Examples of complainant in a Sentence

the complainant charged that the defendant had broken the ironclad contract that both had signed

Recent Examples on the Web

Buzbee has filed several lawsuits in recent months — all have withheld their complainants’ names — accusing Combs of assault and rape. —Chloe Melas, NBC News, 16 Dec. 2024

The prosecution alleged that Blake-Walker had raped one woman at the encouragement of Frampton, who was then accused of twice raping a second complainant. —Thomas Smith, Billboard, 16 Dec. 2024

According to the auto safety regulator, complainants reported a bearing failure that might result in either engine seizure or breaching of the engine block by the connecting rod. —CNN, 17 Jan. 2025

According to police, the complainant alleged that the males forced him from the car and drove away in his 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

complainant

noun

com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt 

1

: one who makes a legal complaint

2

: one who complains

Legal Definition

complainant

noun

com·​plain·​ant kəm-ˈplā-nənt 

: the party (as a plaintiff or petitioner) who makes the complaint in a legal action or proceeding