whiny

or whin·ey

[ hwahy-nee, wahy- ]

adjective

, whin·i·er, whin·i·est.

1. complaining; fretful; cranky:

   The baby is whiny because he missed his nap.

whiny

/ ˈwaɪnɪ /

adjective

1. high-pitched and plaintive
2. peevish; complaining

Other Words From

• whini·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of whiny¹

First recorded in 1850–55; whine + -y ¹

Example Sentences

In his typically whiny book "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free," Hegseth writes, "Our ‘elites’ are like the feckless drug-addled businessmen at Nakatomi Plaza, looking down on Bruce Willis’s John McClane in ‘Die Hard,’" adding, "But there will come a day when they realize they need John McClane."

From Salon

“Guys don’t make passes at whiny women who think Jeopardy! clues are ‘problematic,’ ” yet another wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

“It was gross. But I didn’t feel like I was allowed to say those things — as a public person, as a woman, as a queer person — without seeming like a whiny little brat. The whole world was telling me not to complain about what was happening.”

From Los Angeles Times

Emmett: “First stop saying you’re entitled to anything, ‘cause it’s a whiny word that makes my butt clench.”

From Los Angeles Times

He speaks in a nasally tone that sounds whiny even when he is sincere.

From Salon

Related Words

• cranky
• fractious
• impatient
• irritable
• perverse
• sullen
• testy