Sniveling

Sniveling is a present participle or gerund describing the act of complaining or whining in a weak, self-pitying, or tearful manner. It often implies a lack of courage or resilience, portraying someone who is easily distressed and resorts to complaining rather than taking action. This behavior is typically seen as irritating or annoying to others. The word carries a strong negative connotation, suggesting weakness and a lack of self-control. It can refer to both the sound of someone whining and the actions that embody this kind of complaining. Sniveling, in essence, reveals an individual's inability or unwillingness to cope with difficulties in a mature and composed way.

Sniveling meaning with examples

• The child's sniveling about not getting a toy quickly wore on the parents' patience, they constantly tried to explain the situation but his tantrums persisted. Eventually, they decided to ignore the display until he calmed down. His constant complaints overshadowed the joy of the afternoon, casting a shadow of negativity.
• After the team lost the game, the coach couldn't tolerate the players sniveling about the referee's calls. He demanded they take responsibility for their errors and strive to improve. He stated, 'Stop your whining and get back to practice! We need to learn from this loss, not wallow in self-pity.'
• The character in the novel, overcome with grief, spent hours sniveling over the loss of his loved one. Though understandable, his constant lamenting grew tiresome for those around him, they wanted to move on but his grief was very impactful. His friends eventually told him to go outside or join them, wanting to feel better and not just mourn.
• The employees, rather than addressing the workplace issues directly, were known for sniveling to management about their coworkers. This passive-aggressive behavior fostered a toxic work environment, making it difficult to resolve problems and promote productivity, the boss ended up telling them to deal with each other and sort out the problems.