grievance

grievance — noun

1. an unfair situation, or the feeling of being treated unfairly, that gives you a

1.nounB2
Definition

an unfair situation, or the feeling of being treated unfairly, that gives you a good reason to complain

Example

Factory workers in Osaka had a genuine grievance about unfair pay cuts.

collocation: have a grievance about [noun]

Marta listened patiently to every grievance her young students brought to her.

Common collocations
  • have a grievance
  • hold a grievance
  • air a grievance
  • nurse a grievance
  • voice a grievance
  • genuine grievance
  • deep-seated grievance
  • long-standing grievance
  • grievance against someone
Synonyms
  • complaint

    more general and less emotional than grievance; any expression of dissatisfaction

  • resentment

    focuses on the internal feeling rather than the act of complaining

  • grudge

    a long-held grievance that someone refuses to let go of

Antonyms
  • satisfaction

    the feeling that a grievance was resolved fairly

  • praise

    positive expression, the opposite of a complaint

Usage Note

Often used with verbs like 'have', 'hold', 'air', 'nurse', or 'voice' — for example, 'She nursed a grievance for years.' The preposition 'against' introduces the person or group believed to be at fault.

Common Mistakes

I have a grievance to my boss.
I have a grievance against my boss.
The correct preposition after 'grievance' is 'against', not 'to'.
He made a grievance about the noise.
He had a grievance about the noise.
'Have' or 'hold' a grievance is the natural collocation; 'make' is rarely used in this sense.

2. a written or official statement of complaint against unfair treatment, especiall

2.nounB2
Definition

a written or official statement of complaint against unfair treatment, especially in the workplace

Example

The employee filed a formal grievance against her supervisor for unfair treatment.

collocation: file a formal grievance

Company policy requires all grievances to be submitted in writing first.

passive: grievances submitted in writing

Common collocations
  • file a grievance
  • lodge a grievance
  • submit a grievance
  • formal grievance
  • written grievance
  • grievance procedure
  • grievance hearing
  • grievance with HR
  • grievance against an employer
Synonyms
  • complaint

    more general term; not necessarily formal or written

  • objection

    focuses on a specific point of disagreement rather than a full complaint

  • protest

    implies stronger public or collective action

Antonyms
  • acceptance

    agreeing to a situation instead of objecting

  • approval

    positive response, the opposite of a formal complaint

Usage Note

The most common verb patterns are 'file a grievance', 'lodge a grievance', or 'submit a grievance'. Frequently appears in workplace, union, and human-resources contexts. This sense is almost always countable.

Common Mistakes

I said a grievance to HR.
I filed a grievance with HR.
'File', 'lodge', or 'submit' are the standard verbs; 'say' or 'tell' are not used.
I sent a grievance letter to my manager.' (unclear)
I submitted a written grievance to my manager.
'Grievance' alone implies a formal complaint; adding 'written' clarifies the format.

Word family

  • grieve
    verbB2
  • grievous
    adjectiveC1
  • grievously
    adverbC1
  • aggrieved
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Complaint, resentment, and grudge all relate to grievance but differ in focus and duration. A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction — it can be trivial or serious, and it is usually stated openly. A grievance specifically involves a perceived injustice or unfair treatment, often in a workplace or formal setting. Resentment is the internal, emotional side of a grievance — the bitter feeling that builds up when a grievance is not addressed. A grudge is a grievance that someone holds onto for a long time, refusing to forgive or forget. For example: 'She filed a complaint about the noisy office' (an expression of dissatisfaction). 'The workers had a genuine grievance about unsafe conditions' (a specific unfair situation). 'He felt deep resentment toward his former boss' (the emotional result). 'After ten years, he still held a grudge' (a long-held grievance kept alive).

complaint ↗resentment ↗grudge ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • sense of grievance
  • cause of grievance
  • subject of grievance
  • source of grievance

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinEnglish

Grievance entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'grevance', meaning injury, harm, or burden. The French word comes from 'grevant' (burdening), which traces back to Latin 'gravare' (to burden, to weigh down), from 'gravis' (heavy). The original sense was simply 'suffering' or 'distress.' By the 16th century, the meaning shifted toward a complaint about unfair treatment — the 'heavy burden' became a metaphor for an injustice that weighs on someone.