sustained complaints

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sustained complaints" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe ongoing or persistent grievances or issues that have been raised over a period of time. Example: "The company has received sustained complaints from customers regarding the quality of its products."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Police tend to point to the low numbers of sustained complaints as evidence that they were specious charges filed in retaliation for lawful arrests.

The New Yorker

Surprisingly, there is no clear nationwide data available for the percentage of sustained complaints about police.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Unfortunately, one of Mr. Garzón's fellow magistrates sustained the complaint and brought formal charges this week.

The New York Times

A 2007 decision by the ILO sustained a complaint filed by the United Electrical Workers against the State of North Carolina for its prohibition on collective bargaining for public employees.

Huffington Post

But I am also very annoyed so I am adding my voice to the now sustained chorus of complaints about Apple's redesigned Mac keyboard: How very much it sucks.

TechCrunch

DOERAK "Determinants of (sustained) Overweight and complaints; Epidemiological Research among Adolescents and Kids in general practice" is a prospective observational cohort study with a follow-up period of two years.

BMC Family Practice

But, he said, in cases where residents have filed a complaint with the city's Human Rights Commission, it has ruled that "a doctor's letter indicating therapeutic value for the animal has been enough to sustain a complaint".

The New York Times

The Kentucky Supreme Court sustained Stumbo's complaint.

Wikipedia

The following definition of injury was adopted: 'any physical complaint sustained by an athlete that results from training or competition, irrespective of the need for medical attention or time lost from sports activities'.

BMJ Open

Musculoskeletal injuries are defined as any physical complaint sustained by a person as a result of sport training [ 20], and many of these might be included among self-reported MSD.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

An injury was defined as "any physical complaint sustained as a result of refereeing and training, irrespective of the need for medical attention or time lost from activity (refereeing or training)", which was adopted from Fuller et al. [ 33].

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sustained complaints", ensure the context clearly indicates that the complaints have been ongoing or persistent over a period. For instance, use it to describe customer feedback, employee concerns, or public criticism of a policy.

Common error

Don't confuse "sustained" in "sustained complaints" with meaning 'justified' or 'upheld'. "Sustained" here simply means 'ongoing' or 'persistent'. To indicate that complaints were proven valid, use phrases like "substantiated complaints" or "upheld complaints" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sustained complaints" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "sustained" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "complaints". This combination describes the nature of the complaints as being ongoing or persistent, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sustained complaints" denotes ongoing or persistent grievances, functioning as an adjective-noun combination. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. While not exceedingly common, it appears in diverse contexts such as News & Media and Science, indicating its neutral register. To diversify your writing, consider alternatives such as "ongoing grievances" or "persistent complaints". Remember that "sustained" in this context refers to the duration, not necessarily the validity, of the complaints.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ongoing grievances

Replaces "complaints" with "grievances" to denote a formal complaint.

persistent complaints

Uses "persistent" instead of "sustained" to highlight the continuous nature of the complaints.

repeated complaints

Focuses on the repetition of the complaints.

chronic complaints

Emphasizes the long-lasting nature of the complaints.

long-standing grievances

Highlights the duration of the grievances.

continuous stream of complaints

Highlights the continuous flow of complaints.

unresolved issues

Shifts focus to the lack of resolution of the underlying issues.

outstanding grievances

Focuses on grievances that have not yet been addressed.

unabated complaints

Emphasizes that the complaints have not diminished.

mounting complaints

Suggests an increasing number of complaints.

FAQs

What does "sustained" mean in the context of "sustained complaints"?

In the phrase "sustained complaints", "sustained" means ongoing or persistent. It indicates that the complaints have continued over a period of time, rather than being isolated incidents.

How can I use "sustained complaints" in a sentence?

You can use "sustained complaints" to describe continuous expressions of dissatisfaction. For example: "The company faced "sustained complaints" regarding the new policy."

What is a good alternative to "sustained complaints"?

Alternatives to "sustained complaints" include "ongoing grievances", "persistent complaints", or "repeated complaints". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Are "sustained complaints" always valid?

No, "sustained complaints" simply means that the complaints have been ongoing. It doesn't necessarily mean that the complaints have been investigated or proven to be valid. If you want to denote validity, you can use "substantiated complaints" or "upheld complaints" instead.