whine

1 of 2

verb

whined; whining

intransitive verb

1
a
: to utter a high-pitched plaintive or distressed cry
b
: to make a sound similar to such a cry
the wind whined in the chimney
2
: to complain with or as if with a whine
always whining about the weather
3
: to move or proceed with the sound of a whine
the bullet whined … across the iceBerton Roueché

transitive verb

: to utter or express with or as if with a whine
whiner noun

whine

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a prolonged high-pitched cry usually expressive of distress or pain
b
: a sound resembling such a cry
2
: a complaint uttered with or as if with a whine

Examples of whine in a Sentence

Verb He's always whining about the weather. Quit whining and finish your dinner. “I want to leave now,” she whined. The workers were whining that the office was too cold. The dog was whining because it wanted to go out. The electric saw whined as it cut through the wood. Noun the whine of a jet engine the perennial whine that movies aren't as good as they used to be
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Seems to be the only real way to get everybody to stop whining about the seeding. Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025 Rather than a bark or even a regular whining sound, Enzo has surprised social media users by showing off his unexpected squeaking noises. Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
When in use, the motor produced a slightly audible whistle/whine. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 4 Apr. 2024 Fittingly, its most art-averse detractors responded with an awful lot of whine. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whine 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English hwīnan to whiz; akin to Old Norse hvīna to whiz

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whine was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near whine

Cite this Entry

“Whine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whine. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

whine

1 of 2 verb
ˈhwīn How to pronounce whine (audio)
ˈwīn
whined; whining
1
: to make a shrill troubled cry or a similar sound
a child whining
the electric saw whined as it cut the wood
2
: to complain with or as if with a whine
always whining about his chores
whiner noun
whiningly adverb

whine

2 of 2 noun
1
: a whining cry or sound
2
: a complaint uttered with or as if with a whine
whiny
ˈhwi-nē
ˈwī-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on whine

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