complainingly
In grumbling fashion
Complainingly describes doing something while expressing dissatisfaction or grievance.
It characterizes speech or actions performed in a whining, grumbling manner.
She sighed complainingly about having to work late again.
The adverb appears most often with verbs of speaking—said complainingly, muttered complainingly—to convey that the speaker's tone carries discontent along with the words.
Quiet, unclear speech
- grousingHabitual petty complaining
- gripingVoicing persistent complaints
- kvetchingChronic petty complaining
- moaningProlonged sound of distress
carping · bellyaching · whinging · groaning · fussing · nagging · protesting · lamenting
Crying weakly, softly
- snivelingTearful, pitiful complaining
- mewlingWeak, plaintive crying
- plaintivelyIn a sad, longing manner
- petulantlyIn irritable, sulky manner
sulkily · poutingly · fretfully · peevishly · querulously · whinily · pitifully · self-pityingly
In irritated manner
- grouchilyIn an ill-tempered manner
- crankilyIn a peevish way
- snappilyIn a quick, stylish manner
- peevishlyWith fretful irritation
cantankerously · crossly · crabby · fractiously · shortly · curtly · huffily · brusquely
With bitter indignation
- cynicallyWith distrust of sincerity
- sarcasticallyWith mocking insincerity
- acrimoniouslyWith sharp ill will
- sourlyIn ill-tempered manner
grudgingly · disgruntledly · scornfully · disdainfully · contemptuously · spitefully · venomously · caustically
muttering
Quiet, unclear speech
- grousingHabitual petty complaining
- gripingVoicing persistent complaints
- kvetchingChronic petty complaining
moaning · carping · bellyaching · whinging · groaning · fussing · nagging · protesting · lamenting · murmuring
whimpering
Crying weakly, softly
- snivelingTearful, pitiful complaining
- mewlingWeak, plaintive crying
- plaintivelyIn a sad, longing manner
petulantly · sulkily · poutingly · fretfully · peevishly · querulously · whinily · pitifully · self-pityingly · tearfully
testily
In irritated manner
peevishly · cantankerously · crossly · crabby · fractiously · shortly · curtly · huffily · brusquely · sourly
resentfully
With bitter indignation
- cynicallyWith distrust of sincerity
- sarcasticallyWith mocking insincerity
- acrimoniouslyWith sharp ill will
sourly · grudgingly · disgruntledly · scornfully · disdainfully · contemptuously · spitefully · venomously · caustically · acidly
complaininglyuncomplainingly
Without voicing displeasure
contentedly · cheerfully · gratefully · appreciatively · happily