whiny

or whin·ey

[ hwahy-nee, wahy- ]

adjective

whinier, whiniest.

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 Word Forms

• whini·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of whiny¹

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

Example Sentences

And we are asked to see the "vulnerable" as a small number of whiny people on death’s door anyway.

From Salon

We can already see the first inklings of how the liberal refusal to submit is frustrating the right and making them even more whiny than usual.

From Salon

The main tone of the videos is whiny, as the hosts complain endlessly that career federal employees look down on them.

From Salon

But even when he was attacking, Reagan came across as upbeat and positive, directly opposite of the whiny, doomsday tone of Trump.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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