verb phrase · neutral
file a complaint
/faɪl ə kəmˈpleɪnt/file a com·PLAINT
To officially submit a statement about a problem or wrongdoing to an authority.
Examples
“After the company ignored her emails, she decided to file a complaint with customer services.”
“If a taxi driver overcharges you, you can file a complaint with the local transport authority.”
“Many employees chose to file a complaint after repeated safety breaches at the factory.”
Band 8 sentence
“When informal requests failed, many customers chose to file a complaint so the company would have an official record of the problem.”
Collocations
- file a complaint with
- file a formal complaint
Word family
Common mistakes
file a complain→file a complaint
file a complaint to the police→file a complaint with the police
Say it for a higher band
5complain→6make a complaint→7+file a complaint
Synonyms
lodge a complaint
Easily confused
make a complaint
“She decided to make a complaint at the customer service desk.”
Related words
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In Crime & Law
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