grievance

American  

[gree-vuhns] / ˈgri vəns /

noun

• grievances
  plural

1. a wrong considered as grounds for complaint, or something believed to cause distress.

   Inequitable taxation is the chief grievance.

   Synonyms:

   distress, injury, hurt, injustice, affront

2. a complaint, as against an unjust or unfair act.

   to have a grievance against someone.

3. a feeling or belief that one has been wronged, oppressed, or is the victim of an injustice; resentment.

   The conflict on campus was described as the result of racial grievance or victim culture, depending on who reported it.

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grievance British  

/ ˈɡriːvəns /

noun

1. a real or imaginary wrong causing resentment and regarded as grounds for complaint

2. a feeling of resentment or injustice at having been unfairly treated

3. obsolete affliction or hardship

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grievance Idioms  

1. see air one's grievances.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pregrievance
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• grievances
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of grievance

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English greva(u)nce, greva(u)ns “injury, offense, annoyance,” from Old French grevance “harm, injury, trouble, misfortune”; see origin at grieve, -ance

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Explanation

A grievance is a complaint. It can be formal, as when an employee files a grievance because of unsafe working conditions, or more of an emotional matter, like a grievance against an old friend who betrayed you. A grievance is a complaint that may or may not be justified. Often a grievance is a complaint about something that breaks a rule or a law, like a grievance filed against a person who builds a fence in his front yard in a town that does not allow that. If that same neighbor plants flowers he knows make you sneeze uncontrollably, you might be unhappy about that, but this is the kind of grievance you can work out among yourselves.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grievance grievances

The changes address a long-simmering grievance among travelers, some of whom have encountered checkout instructions that read less like the end of a vacation and more like the beginning of a Saturday spent doing housework.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026

The nation's spy chief, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess, warned last year politically motivated violence was among the agency's fastest growing security concerns, driven by "grievance narratives, conspiracies and online echo chambers".

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

The grievance isn’t new: A London minister complained in 1624 that “youth were never more sawcie.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Should my friend file a grievance with the State Bar of Texas?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

He stood watching them for a while, a great grievance exploding in his mind.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

In the pathetic galaxy of Gen Z men, anything from mid-century magazine ads to a Disney-owned sci-fi epic for children can be a stand in for their cultural grievances.

From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026

However, labour leaders say workers' grievances extend beyond the formation of the board, citing inflation and rising household expenses.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Since the protests started, they have expanded to cover the high cost of living, aggressive police tactics and other grievances.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

"He's the victim of his own success. By concentrating so much power in his own hands, he has made himself the only person the people blame for their grievances."

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

“Two grievances are recorded against Kvothe by Master Hemme,” The Chancellor said sternly, not taking his eyes away from me.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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Related Words

• grief
• hardship
• injustice
• objection
• outrage
• resentment
• sorrow
• unhappiness

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