3 syllables: com, plain, ant. Stress on plain.
kuhm-PLAY-nuhnt
/kəmˈpleɪnənt/
complainant is pronounced kuhm-PLAY-nuhnt (/kəmˈpleɪnənt/). It has three syllables (com-plain-ant), with the stress on "plain". A person who makes a formal accusation or alleges wrongdoing in a legal or official context, especially in a lawsuit. The term refers to the plaintiff in a criminal or civil case and is used in formal documents and testimony to identify the party bringing charges or claims.
A person who makes a formal accusation or alleges wrongdoing in a legal or official context, especially in a lawsuit. The term refers to the plaintiff in a criminal or civil case and is used in formal documents and testimony to identify the party bringing charges or claims.
- You may default to saying ‘complain’ then add ‘ant,’ making it com-PLAIN-uhnt, which distorts the ending and reduces the emphasis on the middle syllable. - Another frequent error is misplacing stress on the first syllable com-; you’ll sound uncertain. - Some learners add an extra schwa between /pleɪ/ and /nənt/, producing com-PLAIN-uh-nənt. Correct by producing /kəmˈpleɪnənt/ with a distinct /pleɪ/ and a crisp /nənt/. - Final /nt/ can be swallowed or turned into /nt/ plus a light /ə/; keep it tight: /-nt/ without extra vowel.
"The complainant filed a complaint with the police after the incident."
"In civil court, the complainant sought damages for breach of contract."
"The mediator asked both the defendant and the complainant to present their evidence."
Pronounce it com-PLAIN-ant with primary stress on PLAIN. IPA: US /kəmˈpleɪnənt/, UK /kɒmˈpleɪnənt/, AU /kɒmˈpleɪnənt/. Start with /k/ then /ə/ (schwa), /m/ then /ˈpleɪ/ as in “play,” and end with /nənt/. If you say it as one smooth word, you’ll hear the middle syllable clearly: com-PLAIN-ant. Audio reference: you can compare with other forms using pronunciation tools.
Common errors include softening the /ˈpleɪ/ to a quick /pleɪ/ without proper stress, and misplacing the main stress on the first or last syllable (com-PLAIN-ant is essential). Another mistake is adding an extra vowel after the final /t/ or pronouncing the final /nt/ as separate consonants too slowly. Correct these by maintaining the 3-syllable rhythm with primary stress on the second syllable and finishing with a crisp /nt/.
In US and UK, the middle syllable carries primary stress: com-PLAIN-ant. US tends to a slightly reduced first syllable /kəm/ vs UK /kɒm/ or /kəm/ in rapid speech; AU is similar to UK with non-rhotic tendencies, so /kɒmˈpleɪnənt/. The /ɪ/ of ‘plain’ is part of the /pleɪ/ diphthong (PLAIN). Rhoticity affects only the preceding r-controlled vowels in other words, not this one, but the ending /nt/ remains the same across regions.
The challenge lies in the three-syllable construction with a strong middle stress on /ˈpleɪ/ and the subtle vowel transitions in /kə/ or /ɒ/ before it. The /ˈpleɪ/ diphthong requires precise tongue height and lip rounding to approximate ‘play’ without lengthening into a different vowel. Final /ənt/ can blend if you’re not careful, causing a slurred ending. Practice slow, measured syllables to lock the rhythm.
Remember the middle syllable is the anchor: /ˈpleɪ/. You want a clean, clear /k/ to /ə/ onset before /ˈpleɪ/. Avoid turning the word into com-PLAIN-ənt with a swallowed schwa before the stress; keep the first syllable light but not silent. The final /nt/ should be crisp; do not vocalize the n to a nasalized vowel. With practice, you’ll have a confident, legal-register pronunciation.
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- US: rhoticity does not affect this word; keep /kəmˈpleɪnənt/ with a rounded /ɪ/ or reduced /ə/ in first syllable depending on speed. - UK: /kɒmˈpleɪnənt/ tends to a tighter /ɒ/; keep the middle /eɪ/ as a clear diphthong. - AU: similar to UK with slightly stronger vowel reduction in casual speech; emphasize /ˈpleɪ/ clearly. - Common diphthong mouth positions: /ə/ lax, /ɪ/ neutral, /eɪ/ with mouth opening and closing; keep lips rounded slightly for /eɪ/.
complainant derives from the verb complain, formed in Middle English from Old French plaindre, which comes from Latin plangere ‘to strike, lament, or mourn’. The agent suffix -ant indicates a person who performs the action of the verb. The noun complainant began to enter legal language in the 16th–17th centuries as a way to name the party who makes a complaint or charges in legal proceedings. Over time, the term specialized from a general “one who complains” to a technical label for the plaintiff or claimant in civil and criminal actions. The sense broadened in normal usage to include anyone who presents a formal grievance to authorities, but in legal English it remains a precise role name. First known uses appear in Latin-based legal texts and early modern English records, where “‘complainant’” is explicitly contrasted with defendants and witnesses. In contemporary usage, it is most common in legal pleadings and investigative reports, still retaining a slightly formal, procedural tone. The word’s pronunciation and spelling reflect its French and Latin roots, with the pronunciation stabilizing in English by the 18th century.
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Words that rhyme with "complainant"
-ain sounds
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