What does whined mean?
Whined is the past tense and past participle of whine, and it carries two closely related uses. In its most common figurative sense, it means complained persistently, usually in a tone that suggests petulance, self-pity, or irritation: someone who whined about a minor inconvenience made the complaint more annoying through the manner of complaining. In its literal sense, whined describes a sustained, high-pitched sound, as from a dog, a child, or a machine. The word is common in both British and American English and is usually informal or mildly disapproving when applied to people. Its past-tense form can stand alone, as in “The customer whined about the delay,” or form part of a perfect construction, as in “She had whined all afternoon.” Because the same form can describe either complaining or making a high-pitched noise, the surrounding context usually determines the intended sense. Whined is useful when you want to emphasize not only the complaint or sound itself, but also the speaker’s manner.
verbWhined is the past tense and past participle of whine. It means to complain persistently, often in a peevish or irritating way, or to make a sustained, high-pitched sound.
- To complain persistently, especially in a peevish, self-pitying, or irritating manner.
- To make a sustained, high-pitched sound, as from a dog, a child, or a machine.
"He whined about the delay for the entire meeting."
"The customer whined about the extra charge until the manager offered a refund."
"The hungry dog whined by the door until someone filled its bowl."
The word’s sound-based past survives: to whine originally meant to make a high-pitched noise, long before it became shorthand for a complaint.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does whined come from?
The verb descends from Old English hwīnan, meaning “to make a high-pitched sound,” and passed into Middle English as whinen. The modern sense of complaining in a peevish or plaintive way developed by extending the idea of a drawn-out, complaining sound to the manner of speaking. Related forms such as whine, whiner, and whiny preserve the same native Germanic root.
Related word forms
How whined is actually used
Whined is common in both formal and informal English, but when describing a person's complaints it is often mildly disapproving and suggests an unpleasant or exaggerated manner of complaining. Its sound-based sense is usually neutral and is commonly used for animals, children, and mechanical noises.